Of Devils and Pokémon
by Cardente
Summary: Millenia ago, the Prince of Darkness was defeated by one of its own kind and imprisoned in the Demon World. Now a new threat beckons, and only one man can stop the world from being overrun by the devils and demons. A Pokémon-spinoff of Devil May Cry.
1. Prologue

**Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe (heavy), Crossover (slight)**

**Characters: Cast from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh (with a few liberties)**

**Rating: M for blood, gore, deaths, sexual content**

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own anything from Pokémon. This story will involve and contain a lot of what I mentioned in the rating. After playing some games, I got inspired to write this (yes, I am a huge gamer). People that have played the games in the Devil May Cry series will undoubtedly see some similarities, since this will be inspired by the aforementioned series. Like some of my fics, romance is in order eventually, and mostly between Ash and May. Misty takes a backseat , but she will be a friend in this story later on. Last but not least: enjoy this work of fiction and if you don't happen to like it, then don't read it. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, because I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing. Also, if I don't update in a while it means I'm busy, and quality takes time. Nobody wants a rushed product. This story might start off slow, but it will ramp up eventually. But most of all:

Have fun!

Cardente

**OF DEVILS AND POKÉMON**

Countless millennia ago, our world was threatened by a force that would have ensured that mankind and Pokémon never came to be, should it came to pass. This force originated from a world beyond our own, a plain called the Underworld, or as it would be more commonly known, the plain called Hell. Described in ancient texts, a powerful being, called the Prince of Darkness which came from the Underworld, attempted to bring our own world into his own domain, making it its own. But he never suspected that he would be stood up against by an unsuspecting warrior.

This being, whose name was never mentioned, was also a denizen of the Underworld, a being from Hell. But where other devils had no sympathy for anything but themselves, he had been touched by a sensation. A sensation called emotion, that slowly developed within his body and mind. He could not allow this transgression that his brethren were planning to continue. He took up his powers and rebelled against his own kind. This was the start of a great conflict.

This conflict lasted for a long time in the Underworld, before it eventually was unleashed on our own world. During this time, the first forms of sentient life started to appear, and this being, fearing that the conflict would eradicate all of life if it continued, managed to defeat the one who had orchestrated the attack from the very beginning. But the price for this victory was high. While the attack and conquest were averted and the Prince of Darkness seemingly slain, the unnamed being was cast out of the Underworld in the ensuing clash. He arrived on our world, and was thrown into a slumber that lasted countless of years, the greatest extent of its powers gone, sealed away in the Underworld where he originated from.

The being awoke in a new time and age, where mankind and Pokémon coexisted peacefully. Using what remained of its power, it took the appearance of a man and ventured into the world to explore. He would experience life, fell in love, he would marry, and would father a child, a son. His child carried his own blood and the blood of its human mother, an offspring that no-one would have thought possible.

But now that he was mostly a human without his original powers, he started to experience the other aspects that came with it. He grew older, and realized that he would eventually perish. And when he would perish, no-one would be left to protect the world from the forces of the Underworld, should they return to take the human world again. Therefore, he made a decision that would ensure the safety of our world. He named his son the new protector of the human world when it was still a baby, and left his wife a sword that she would give to their son. The sword would be, in his hands, strong enough to defeat the devils. His son, however, would come to know his true heritage much later, and the sword was created with what power remained inside his father's own body. His son would carry the sword like it was a family heirloom.

The next step was to seal himself and his own leftover power in a dreamless state on a place unknown to anyone, because if he died, fragments of his power would still remain. His power could be abused, or more importantly, it could lead those who found it to search for his sealed off source of power, still left in the Underworld. So he hid himself, far away from anyone or anything, and nobody would ever find him, not even his own son, to ensure that mankind would never be in danger because of him. Only when the time would come, his location would be revealed to the one who carries his blood. And only then his son would know where to search.

Years have passed since he sealed himself, and his son has grown up to be a strong individual, with a kindred spirit like his father. He works mostly for himself, accepting jobs that are interesting enough to look into, like the supernatural. He wouldn't accept a job if he didn't want it or cared about it, even if he was offered more money than the initial amount.

There would be only one person in the entire world he would listen to, and who he would obey without question:

His own mother, Delia.

His main interest was like his father used to have, and slowly the legacy of his father was going over in him. He became the modern day slayer of devils, the son of the devil legend that protected us, a man unlike the world had ever seen:

The modern day devil hunter, Ash Ketchum.


	2. Chapter 1: No Such Inivitation

**Chapter 01: No Such Invitation**

The night had spread its dark cloak all over the city of Vermillion. Streets were illuminated only by the street lanterns, and aside from the occasional stray Pokémon or a police car patrolling, silence and quietness filled the streets. That is, until the sounds of slow but steady marching footsteps started to echo through the street. Illuminated by the lampposts, a figure moved casually across the sidewalk, its long, reddish coat swaying gently behind it with every step taken. The lanterns illuminated the face of the passerby, revealing it to be a male with black, spiky hair. As he passed the lanterns, one could see a large metallic looking object on his back, reflecting the light on the various walls he passed. But one could also see the determined look on his face, and the small smile on his lips as he walked, seemingly enjoying the nightly walk. He was enjoying himself, that much was true, but he was joyful for a very different reason.

As he passed the last building, he halted for a moment in front of a large gate, connected to a fence on both sides. Above the gate he saw a sign, which read in red letters "VERMILLION CITY DOCKS ENTRANCE A". His smile widened only for a moment when it slid back in its previous state, before pushing the gate open with one of his black-gloved hands. At least, that is what he tried to do. The gate gave only so slightly, it's hinges giving out protesting creaks. He sighed, and took a small step back. He waited a moment before he kicked open the gate with a powerful kick from his black-booted feet. The hinges creaked loudly, but the damage was done as the gate was slammed against the fence. Lowering his leg, he glanced at the warning next to the gate which was attached to the fence. "UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY IS FORBIDDEN. VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED" it read, along with some more text regarding fines and jail time. He ignored these texts when he walked in, but the thoughts in his mind said that after he left there would be no room for neither.

A mere two hours before him, the path he threaded was walked by another person. This person, a male, was rushing through the streets to reach the docks, his black cloak with red outlining waving behind him as he took every running step. His destination was a small warehouse, just at the edge of the docks, overlooking the sea. When he reached it, he stopped for a moment to catch his breath, before straightening himself out. He walked up a small flight of stairs and knocked three times on a steel door. He heard footsteps on the other side, and a peek hole was slid open. Two eyes looked down upon him, half-covered by a hood, the same as he was wearing. He would have felt nervous if he didn't know who was behind the door.

"In the darkness we gather.", the man behind the door said, bringing his attention towards him.

"We banish the light from the land.", he responded. The peek hole slid closed, and the sound of a key opening a lock was heard. A few moments later the large steel door opened with a loud creaking sound. The man quickly went inside, only to be halted by a third man who stood across from him, his arms crossed and a stern look at his face, clothed in the same style as he was. The newest arrival dared not to meet his gaze right away, but gave a small bow before looking up. He could see the malice in the eyes of the person that was without a doubt his leader. He swallowed a lump in his throat. The door was being closed when the leader-figure started to speak.

"Monaric, young pupil, you are late. You know I do not tolerate such acts.", he spoke, his arms still crossed. The one called Monaric bowed again, deeper this time.

"I beg for forgiveness, master Jerickai.", he said with noticeable fear in his voice, not daring to look up. He knew his master didn't like latecomers, and here he was, setting a bad example for the others. He also knew that he could face severe consequences for being late. His shock and rush of relief was therefore great when he felt a hand gently being placed on his shoulder. He looked up, half-surprised, to see Jerickai looking at him, with a very slight hint of a smile on his face.

"You shall be forgiven, Monaric, when you tell me a suitable reason of your delay.", Jerickai spoke in a soothing, but ruling voice. Monaric straightened up and Jerickai removed his hand from Monaric's shoulder.

"I felt a presence following me, great master. Because of that, I ran into random streets to lose it. When I could no longer feel it following me, I made haste to come here, but I had taken a few turns too many. That is why I am late for the meeting.", Monaric explained hastily but clearly. Upon hearing Monaric's explanation, Jerickai's expression darkened considerably. Monaric gulped; he knew he had said something that displeased his master, and from the looks of it, his explanation didn't fell too well with Jerickai. It felt like an eternity before his master did or say anything.

Fortunately, it was nothing physical that was done to Monaric, as the voice of his leader pierced his eardrums.

"A presence you say? That is most… unsettling. We shall discuss this later. Come.", Jerickai spoke, as he turned around. Monaric started sweating a little, and he was beginning to feel uneasy. "You have nothing to be nervous about, young pupil. Come, we must begin our meeting at once. Everyone else already has arrived.", Jerickai spoke, as he started walking. Monaric hesitated for a moment before following his leader. He looked back to see the man at the door looking at him with a grin on his face. Turning back quickly, Monaric continued following his master, followed by the gatekeeper. Their footsteps echoed through the building.

It took only a handful of steps to reach a dimly lit room. The light came through the glass window in the roof, courtesy of the moon. In the middle of the room, a long table was set, with eight equally dressed people already sitting. Three spots were empty; these were for the gatekeeper, Monaric and his leader. As one, they looked at their three fellow members, their silently gaze resting on Monaric. He felt uneasy; he wasn't a member of the group for that long, and he didn't have much respect or standing amongst the other members. He took his seat and waited for Jerickai to speak as the others diverted their gaze from him and to their master. Still, Monaric could feel the slightest hint of contempt coming from them all.

Jerickai had taken his seat, and looked at his followers. "Many of you already know why I have called for this meeting, and why I have done so in a more unusual place.", he started. The members mumbled something but Jerickai gestured them to remain silent. "I have chosen for this, because we are all that is left of our once proud order.", he continued. Some of the members cast their eyes downward, while others looked at their leader, letting the words sink in. All thought the same: they were facing annihilation. And they all knew why. Their numbers had once reached through the hundreds in Kanto, but their order had been the target of an assailant that had pretty much killed every single member, save for them. They were all that were left. Monaric was a new member, but something told him that he wasn't going to be for much longer. He nervously played with the Pokéball under his cloak as Jerickai continued to speak to them.

"To ensure that we shall never be bothered again, I have taken steps that will make sure that we will prevail!", Jerickai spoke, and he held a Pokéball in the air. The members stared at the simple sphere in their leader's hand. Jerickai noticed their stares and smiled. "Do not be deceived by this regular and simple device, but observe what is in it!", he shouted, and as if he commanded it, the sphere opened and in flash of light, its contents appeared in front of them, next to Jerickai. All of the members stood up and gasped at the sight next to their leader.

Next to Jerickai, a large, black Pokémon had appeared. The members immediately recognized it as the evolution of the Houndour, the Houndoom. But this Houndoom was vastly different then the regular Houndoom that all of the members carried with them. Jerickai's Houndoom was a little larger, and had more pronounced fangs and claws. The horns on the head of the large Pokémon seemed longer and sharper, and also had a darker tone to them. But what frightened the members the most were the eyes. They were blood red, and showed a vicious rage and bloodlust, as if it were a deranged animal infected with rabies. With each growl, saliva dripped from the fangs on the ground, which almost seemed to sizzle. If the members could see more clearly, they could see the dark purple mist that swirled around it's body in a steady rhythm. Jerickai had a pleased look in his eyes when he noticed the expression on the faces of his subordinates.

"I have put our knowledge to work, and bonded my Houndoom to a devil. That is what we were striving for, and at last, we have succeeded!", his voice thundered. A moment of silence passed before everyone erupted in cheers. Jerickai let them continue before he gestured them to be silent once more. He reached inside his cloak and pulled out a bag of Pokéballs. "For each of you, I have a similar Houndoom that is bonded to a devil! And with these, we will restore our order to its former glory! Our order will prevail! We, the Order of the BLOODHOUND!", he exclaimed as he trusted his fist into the air, and everybody erupted in cheers. But suddenly, the Houndoom at Jerickai's side started to growl, and its eyes flared up. Its sudden bark silenced everyone.

Jerickai dropped the bag on the table and stared at its devilish Pokémon. It looked up, its eyes fixed on the ceiling, and let out another bark. Jerickai looked up as well, only to see the window shatter in a thousand pieces which rained down upon them. The members jumped back in surprise to avoid being hit by the falling shards of glass. But that was not the only thing that fell down. A human shape came through the broken window, and Jerickai could make out the figure of a man before he had to shield his eyes from the falling glass. The figure landed hard on the table, which collapsed under the sudden impact from above. The bag of Pokéballs slid off the table, the tiny spheres rolling all over the floor. Amidst the sudden eruption of chaos, in the dim moonlight, the figure rose to its feet, with a large coat gently falling behind him.

The members stared at the new arrival in shock. The figure straightened itself out, its long coat swaying a little in the draft. The moonlight was reflecting from the object on its back, and the eyes of the members went wide with fear when they realized what it was. Jerickai took a few steps back, while his Houndoom growled menacingly at the intruder. None of the members did anything except staring. They could not move at all, not when the figure started to speak.

"You guys throw a party, and you didn't throw me an invitation? That's not very cool you know. Especially when you consider that I'm your guest of honor.", the figure spoke to them. The members looked at the male person in front of them as he reached under his coat, only to reveal two large handguns in each hand a moment later. In the dim light, they could see that one was colored metallic black, while the other was colored metallic gray. Jerickai was the first to speak when he found his voice again.

"You… I know you.", he hesitatingly said. For the first time, the other members noticed the fear in his voice. Could he know something that they didn't? The male shrugged, looking indifferent at him.

"You know what? I'll tell you when we're finished.", he said, as he raised his weapons, aiming them at the members of the order. "Let's dance."

The Houndoom to Jerickai's side did not wait for an order, but lunged at the intruder. The intruder merely dodged the devil Pokémon, and turned to face it. It landed a few feet away, but turned quickly to attack again. The intruder aimed one of his guns at the Houndoom.

"Bad doggy.", he said, as the beast lunged at him. The Houndoom roared, but the deafening sound of a gunshot stopped it immediately, turning it into a surprised and painful yelp. The Houndoom dropped to the floor mid-lunge and skidded a little over the floor, before it lay motionless. The blood that came from the wound on its head ensured that it would never get up again. The dark purple mist dissipated as the intruder turned to the rest.

"Well, what are you waiting for?", he taunted. "Who's next?"

Monaric, much to the surprise of everyone excluding the intruder, was the first to act.

"He can't take all of us! Bring out your Pokémon and we will KILL HIM!", he yelled, as he threw his Pokéball. All of the members regained their senses and followed his example, and in no time at all, a pack of growling Houndoom were staring the intruder down.

"Now that is more like it. Shall we continue this dance?", the intruder snickered, without any fear in his voice.

"Just a second. Let's make this more interesting.", Jerickai suddenly spoke up. He had gathered the fallen Pokéballs and threw them in the air. As one, they opened and a pack of similar Houndoom like the one the intruder dispatched before, stood in front of Jerickai. The intruder put his guns away.

"This is getting better and better. Luckily, I have brought a partner for this dance.", he said, as he removed the large object from his back. In the moonlight, everybody once again saw that it was a large sword, which the intruder skillfully spun with one hand a few times before letting it land hard on the concrete floor, small pieces of concrete flying away. "Now then, let's get this party started!"

A moment of silence passed, as everyone stood still in this crazy standoff. The silence was shattered by the voice of Monaric, who thought that this moment could be the perfect opportunity to gain more respect with his fellow members and his leader. To him, nothing mattered anymore but the will to prove himself. He wanted to be a worthy member. He had to be a worthy member, for his own sake and that of his leader. So he took the aforementioned chance to take the initiative to show them all that he was capable of being a worthy member. He would kill this intruder! If he only knew how wrong he was.

"ATTACK!", he yelled, and lo and behold, the Houndoom from his members actually followed the command they had received from him. As one, they let out a roar before they lunged themselves at the intruder, who still had the sword, with its tip still resting on the ground, firmly in his right hand. Time seemed to slow down as the black Pokémon rushed to him. The intruder didn't even look worried, and the members were astonished at what they saw next. It happened so fast that one could have blinked and missed the entire ordeal. Faster than their eyes could follow, they saw the sword move with lightning-fast speed. They could hear the sound of several blows, like metal hitting flesh, until it was over in the blink of an eye. The intruder stood perfectly still, his sword resting on his shoulder while holding it with his right hand, while the bodies of the Houndoom lay motionless around him, not moving at all.

The silence that followed was agonizing. Nobody spoke after witnessing the entire counterattack that the intruder had just performed. His snickering voice brought them back from their thoughts.

"I wouldn't worry about them. If I were you, I'd worry about yourself now. They're done dancing this round.", he said, ignoring the growling and snarling from the other Houndoom behind him.

"You may have defeated them, but you won't survive this, you despicable fiend!", Jerickai's voice suddenly echoed. The growling and snarling intensified. The intruder let out a sigh before turning back to Jerickai, and pointed his sword at him.

"So, you want to play rough, do you?", he said, with a small smile. "Alright then, come and get, if you have the balls.". Again, a wave of darkness washed towards the intruder. Only this time, the outcome would be different in Jerickai's mind.

The Houndoom that reached the intruder first opened his large jaws in an attempt to tear off the arm that held the sword. Instead, he opened his jaws in a pained yelp when the massive sword pierced its belly, and exited through its back. The intruder spun around, the Houndoom still impaled on the sword, and struck the remaining leaping Houndoom with their impaled mate. The Houndoom were thrown on the ground, with the body of their mate falling in front of them, the intestines coming out of the wound. They jumped up, seemingly unfazed by the attack, and lunged at the intruder again. The intruder stood perfectly still again, his sword held behind his back with one hand. With blistering speed, he drew one of his guns, aimed, and pulled the trigger multiple times.

When the sounds of gunfire died down, more bodies of slain Pokémon lay down on the ground. Jerickai didn't know what to say or how to respond; he merely gasped at the sight, as did his members. The bodies of the recently slain Houndoom lay motionless, and the black purple mist was dissipating, just like when the first Houndoom was killed. The voice of the intruder brought them back to their senses.

"You really should get your dogs from a better pound.", he said, as he holstered his gun after he twirled it around a few times.

"You… you killed them!", Monaric gasped, his voice filled with fear. The intruder shook his finger at him.

"Ah ah aaah, I didn't kill them. Well at least, not all of them. Yours are still alive, because I do not kill Pokémon.", he said.

"And what about the ones that you just killed then? Those were Pokémon as well, and yet you have slain every single one of them!", Jerickai shouted. The intruder turned to face him.

"No, those weren't Pokémon. No Pokémon at all. Those were devils. And in my business, I kill devils, which you undoubtedly know by now.", he said, looking straight at Jerickai. Jerickai started to sweat. He had a few suspicions about this unwanted guest, but that last sentence made all the pieces click together in his mind. He pointed a shaky finger at his opponent.

"Y-you are the one… that killed my members. And now you have come… to kill us!", he said, terribly frightened. The intruder shrugged.

"You know what?", he said, as he drew his sword. "You're right at both."

The remaining members of the order and their leader weren't as eager to jump to the fight, now that they knew who it was they were up against.

"But, we are no devils. We're human beings! You can't kill us!", Monaric suddenly exclaimed. Jerickai looked at his young pupil; he did have a point. His confidence grew back a bit and he regained some of his composure.

"He is right you know. You can't kill us. That would make you a murderer. But seeing as you have already killed most of my order, you already are… a murderer.", he said with a taunting voice, emphasizing on the last word. The reaction he was hoping to get was not the one that he would get. The intruder started laughing.

"You all are great comedians, I'll give you that.", the intruder spoke when he caught his breath again. He looked at the self-proclaimed non-devils with a smirk. "Tapping into the power of the Underworld, using your own Pokémon as test subjects, and your still believe you're humans? You're right about not being devils though.", he added, as he sheathed his sword and drew his guns. He twirled them around his fingers before aiming at them. "You are all worse than that.". Sounds of gunfire and screams filled the building moments later.

As a final bullet casing fell on the ground, the screams stopped. Monaric looked at the intruder, and touched his chest. He could feel the red liquid dripping from the wound as he stared at his hand which was stained crimson. He wanted to speak but only blood gulfed out of his mouth. His vision blurred as he dropped his hand. As he fell to the ground, he breathed his last breath in front of the intruder and his leader.

As Monaric's lifeless body fell on the concrete floor, the intruder lowered his still smoking gun.

"And that's that.", he said casually. He turned to Jerickai, who looked at him full of fury.

"You… killed them all!", he yelled. The intruder shrugged. "Yeah, I did. So you can drop the act now.", he said, looking at him. Jerickai looked surprised, but the intruder smiled. "Don't even try that. I know exactly what you are. Want to know how?", he said, as he turned to face Jerickai fully. "There's no way in Hell, that you can cover up that smell."

Jerickai let out a small chuckle as he relaxed a bit. "So, you know then. I wouldn't have doubted it in any other way though. I played to be afraid for my now fallen brothers. Because once I've dealt with you, I will raise a new order.", he stated firmly.

"Well then, start dealing the cards…", the intruder replied, as he readied his weapons. "…and hope for the best that you haven't been dealt a bad hand.". Jerickai stiffened a bit, but regained his composure.

"I've seen your cards, and they tell me you will fall, the one called Ash,", he replied, as a purple mist started to swirl around him, almost disappearing from sight.

The mist started to engulf Jerickai completely, as the intruder known as Ash watched what was happening. But his face didn't show any sign of concern; rather, Ash looked like he was going to enjoy this. He lowered his weapons as growling and snarling sounds emerged from the mist.

"Not to butt in or anything, but are you quite finished? This is getting rather boring.", he said, as he faked a yawn.

"You will regret ever coming here!", was the reply he got, coming from the mist. But the voice wasn't like how Jerickai sounded before. Instead, it had a low, evil tone, with what seemed an animalistic undertone also present. The mist started to dissipate, and Jerickai revealed himself to his opponent.

Ash managed a grin. "So this is the real you? I thought I smelled something bad. But like I said, it is impossible to cover up, no matter what cologne you use.", he said in a mocking tone. Jerickai let out a snarl in response. His body had changed in a monstrous form. His arms were longer, almost reaching the ground. His hands had been replaced by claws, which shimmered in the light. His head had grown a pair of horns, and his mouth was filled with razor-sharp fangs, which dripped saliva on the floor. His body had taken a dark green color. Ash raised his guns. "Now, shall we continue?", he grinned. The Jerickai-devil responded by attacking him in a ferocious rage.

"No… Fair! You… have… sharp… nails!", Ash shouted, each word spoken as he dodged or blocked a hit. Jerickai kept on attacking, trying to get a hit in, roaring and snarling the entire time like a crazed beast. He suddenly lashed out with a downward swipe, but he didn't hit anything but air. Ash had disappeared. The monster scanned the room quickly, but didn't see anything.

"Ahem.", he suddenly heard behind him, and he quickly turned around with his claws slashing wildly, hoping to tear his foe to shreds. They never got a hit in, as a powerful force in his abdomen knocked him backwards against a wall with a sickening crunch. A cry of pain sounded, and the Jerickai-devil fell on his knees, blood dripping from its back. He looked up to see Ash advancing on him, with the instrument of his death in Ash's hand.

Jerickai tried to stand up but a sudden strike from above sent him back to the ground, blood pouring from the fresh wound on his head. He glared evilly at Ash who was standing in front of him, as he lowered his fist.

"You know what? I'm disappointed. I hoped you had made better sport then this.", he sighed. Jerickai's expression turned from evil to fear when the barrel of a gun was pressed against his forehead. "You know what I like about parties?", Ash spoke as he leaned a little closer. He could almost smell the fear the devil emanated. Jerickai let out a low growl, too weak to do anything. "They always go out with a bang.", he added, and he pulled trigger.

Jerickai's head jerked back violently as the bullet penetrated his skull. The force of the impact made him crash back into the wall behind him, where he sat still for a moment, his eyes staring blankly ahead at nothing. His head fell, as his body toppled over with a wet, sickening thud on the concrete. A purple mist enveloped him for a moment, and when it dissipated, Jerickai was a human once again. Ash holstered his gun, knowing his job was done. He looked around at the warehouse, the still-laying bodies a reminder of what had transpired moments before.

"And that's one more cult scratched.", he said to himself. Using the Pokéballs, he recalled the unconscious Houndoom. _"Might as well take these with me. Let the professor examine them."_, he thought, as he put the balls in the bag Jerickai used to transport them. After seeing that all was done, he looked up to the opening he had created when he busted into the warehouse. He tensed for a brief moment, before jumping up and launching himself through the hole, landing gently on the roof. He shot one last look through the broken window, before walking off. He had finished this job, but he knew his work was far from over. He didn't mind it one bit. It was what he lived for, and he was the best at what he did. He mused a bit over some thoughts in his mind, when his stomach let out a growl. He grinned as he left the harbor area. If he hurried, he would be in Celadon City before morning.

He walked through a few more streets before halting in front of a hotel. Ash didn't stay there; he didn't like hotels that much. He preferred an apartment over a hotel room any day. No, he halted in front of the hotel for a different reason; his own red motorcycle which he had restored from scratch. If it were light, it would have looked even more gorgeous. Ash got on the motorcycle and started its engine. It sprung to life and Ash smiled as he heard the sound. He then sped off into the night, leaving the seaside city of Vermillion behind him, and headed for Celadon City.


	3. Chapter 2: A Crazy Call

**Chapter 02: A Crazy Call**

The sun hadn't shown itself when the quietness and peace of Celadon City were torn to shreds by the sound of an approaching motorcycle. Ash felt the cold morning wind on his face but he didn't care. He was nearly where he wanted to be, and so he kept on driving, steering the bike through the streets of the still sleeping city. When he passed the large shopping mall he knew he had only a short distance to drive. He drove a little faster until he reached his destination; a small, one-story office-like building in the suburbs of the large metropolis. He parked his bike and shut off its engine. He got off his bike, locked it up and entered his place.

When he opened the door he was greeted by the all familiar smell of his place. He closed the door and removed his sword from his back, placing it against the wall. He walked towards the small desk in the back of the room, while he took off his coat. He threw it against the wall, were it dropped on a wall-mounted coat rack, dangling a bit before it stopped. Ash walked behind his desk, and placed his two guns and the bag with Pokéballs on it. He then lets himself fall into his chair, while he crossed his legs on the desk. He looked at the opened pizza box, with the remains of a cold pizza in it. He let out a small chuckle.

"Time to improve the pizza parlor's profit. Lucky he's open 24/7.", he said to himself. He slammed one of his feet on the desk, making the telephone jump. Ash caught it, and dialed a familiar number. "Hey Antonio. Yeah it's me. The usual please. No, you've told me that last time, and I say it again like last time: not interested. Make it snappy, I've had a busy night.", Ash spoke through the receiver, and hung up. He tossed the phone back in its charging unit while he stretched a bit. "Just another day at the job.", he grinned, as he relaxed himself, waiting for his rather unusual breakfast.

A few hours had passed, and Ash had finished taking a shower. He had finished his pizza a while ago, and as usual he had not bothered to clean up the box. He walked into the room, dressed in only his pants and boots while he headed towards the radio in the corner. "Let's see if this damn thing finally works.", he said to himself, and pressed the power switch. He faintly heard some crackling and sizzling sounds that had nothing to do with music, before the radio exploded with a loud bang, sending pieces and debris everywhere.

Ash stared at the smoking carcass, seemingly unfazed by the blast, his finger in same position where the power switch used to be. "Stupid thing.", he muttered, as he turned around towards his desk. That was the seventh radio in a month, but he didn't care. He sat behind his desk again, in the same pose as before, and looked at the picture that was standing on it. It showed a smiling woman with brown hair. He smiled, this time warmly, at it. For the woman in the picture was his mother. He stretched a bit, before he closed his eyes for a nap, his hands behind his head. It didn't take long for the room to be filled with soft snoring sounds.

A relatively large distance away, close to the coastal region, is the quiet place called Pallet Town. The little town has been relatively untouched by modern technology, and most of the townsfolk still live in their old-fashioned homes. But more importantly, this town is known for being the hometown of the great professor Oak, who has studied Pokémon for as long as people can remember, and he has given many trainers their starter Pokémon to begin their journey with. All of the townspeople knew the professor as a kindhearted person, and he is treated with much respect. But that is only the public known side of the professor.

Behind the closed doors of his laboratory, he does study Pokémon as a profession. However, he also studies the kind that pose threats to people, for the professor is one of the few people that know that devils and demons exist. How could he not, when he was present at the birth of a child that was born from the woman who had been impregnated by the legendary devil that rebelled against its own kind? The woman, who was known as Delia Ketchum?

Delia is still living in Pallet Town, and she is good friends with the professor. When Ash was still a young boy, he saw the old professor as a fatherly figure. This pleased Delia greatly, because there was no real father in the child's life. Delia and the professor saw the young boy grow up, and they started to notice the changes from other children appear. Ash had fallen out of a tree once, but managed not a single bruise or wound. Normally, this shouldn't have been a big deal, but Ash fell down from the top of the largest tree in the town. Luckily, only Delia and the professor witnessed the event.

There was only one thing that Delia and the professor kept hidden from Ash, and that was that Delia was pregnant with twins. The sad part is, that only Ash survived when he was born. The second child, who was born shortly after Ash, was stillborn when the doctor examined it. Although grief stricken, Delia knew she had one son that she would raise. She and the professor vowed never to speak of it, and eventually, this event was banished to the far reaches of their minds.

The professor was, and still is, a great asset of the League. The League calls upon him when they need his expertise, and as such, professor Oak is one of the few in Kanto that is allowed to give out starters to beginning trainers. The professor is good friends with the Elite Four of Kanto, and best friends with Lance. The two men share an undisputable trust between one another, and therefore the true nature of Ash is known only to the highest officials of the League over all the regions. Not even the Gym Leaders know of it, and those people are very close to the League.

Over time, the League encountered more strange phenomena and supernatural events. They have the means to fight them behind the scenes, and thus far they have been able to keep the regions at peace. But as Ash grew up and started to eradicate the devils and demons himself, the League offered an alliance between them and Ash, seeing that he was far better skilled then their own forces. The League would offer Ash jobs that they thought would be too dangerous for their own men, and in return Ash and his mother would be compensated for his efforts. It didn't take long for Ash and his mother to reach a decision. Ash accepted, but he had one condition. The jobs would be given to his mother, and only she could call him with the information she had received, saying that he wouldn't take calls from anybody else. The League complied with this, and Ash has been working on and off for them ever since, as well as doing his own freelancing work.

And while Ash was doing his job, his mother stayed at home in Pallet Town, doing the various household chores as she always did, and today is no different. The sun was out quite early and Delia is what people would say and early bird. She was busy working in her garden, together with her cheery companion, a Mr. Mime, which she had gotten as a gift from professor Oak. She had named it Mimey, and she would address the Pokémon by that name whenever she needed him. He was a great help in the house, and Delia enjoyed its company, now that she was mostly alone. In return, the Pokémon enjoyed doing the chores around the house as if it were a maid.

As Delia was busy gardening, and Mimey helped her wherever he could, she didn't hear the approaching footsteps until they had reached the gate of her small garden fence. She looked up from her work to see a smiling Professor Oak, his hands resting on the wooden gate. She smiled back as she got up, and removed her gardening gloves as she approached the professor.

"Good morning Delia. I see you're up bright and early.", the old professor said, still smiling.

Delia chuckled. "You're the one to talk. And a good morning to you too.", she replied. The professor regularly came to visit, if he wasn't too busy working. He and Delia could chat for hours if they were given the chance. And those chances were aplenty.

Delia invited the professor inside, while Mimey went back to gardening. "Would you like some tea?", she asked, as she went inside the kitchen.

"Why yes, please.", the professor replied, as he sat down on the couch in the living room. She would always ask if he wanted tea, and he would always answer that he would like some. He let his eyes rest on a small picture of Delia and a young Ash on the wall.

"Have you heard anything of him?", he asked gently as Delia returned with two cups of tea. She followed his gaze before setting the cups down.

"No, not in a while. You know how he is. He works hard, of that I'm sure.", she said, her voice slightly depressed. The professor mentally cursed himself for asking the question.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have asked.", he said, apologizing. Delia smiled softly.

"It's alright. I'm getting more and more used to it. Besides, I have you and Mimey to keep me company.", she said, getting more cheerful again. The professor smiled and they began talking.

They chatted for a long time, until they noticed it was starting to get noon. "Oh my, I have kept you from your gardening.", the professor said half-apologizing, although he knew that Delia didn't mind it.

"Don't worry about it. You can stay for a little longer if you want.", Delia replied. Oak put up his hands.

"As much as I would love to, business calls me. But perhaps we can meet this evening?", he said. Delia gave him a nod.

"I'd love to. Your place at around eight?", she asked. Oak smiled brightly.

"That would be perfect.", he replied.

"It is settled then. Come on, I walk you out.", Delia said, as she led the professor to the front door. She followed him into the front yard and was about to say goodbye when they noticed a car coming their way. In no time, it had reached her house. The door of the car opened to reveal a familiar figure.

In Celadon City, Ash had woken up from his nap. He looked at the clock on the wall, and yawned. "Only eleven thirty? Felt longer.", he said to himself. He got up from his chair and stretched himself out a bit. "I'll take a walk. Get some exercise.", he grinned. From his coat rack, he picked a red coat, with holsters attached to the back. He swiftly put it on and placed his two guns in the holsters. He glanced at his sword. "Should or shouldn't I bring you? Hmm, decisions, decisions…", he said in mock thought, as he pretended to make a decision. Quickly, he put his foot under the tip of the blade, and let it balance on the nose of his boot. He then kicked it up, sending it spinning into the air. He caught it by the hilt, and placed it on his back. He gave the hilt a few gentle strokes, as if he was caressing the weapon. "You know I'd never leave you behind, my sweet.", he said, talking to the sword. Now that he was ready, he walked out of his office, and locked the door behind him, letting the silence once more take over inside.

As soon as he had locked the door, he stopped for a moment. He smelled something in the air. Something bad. Something rotten. He turned around, and walked down the street. The sudden silence in the neighborhood didn't go unnoticed by him. He kept walking until he passed an alley. The smell seemed to come from there, so he started to walk into the alley. He slowed his pace until he had stopped completely, as he looked at the surroundings. He noticed he had entered a spot where the buildings were uninhabited by the citizens. He waved his hand in front of his nose a couple of times, as if to get rid of the ever-present stench.

He had taken a couple more steps, when he noticed some small pieces of debris and concrete fragments falling down, which hit the ground in front of him with an echoing sound. Nevertheless he kept on walking, even when he heard the same sound from behind. The alley had become a little wider now, and Ash glanced around the walls with the broken windows and boarded up doors. The sounds behind him didn't cease; they intensified a little, making Ash finally stop. He crossed his arms, as if he was waiting. He didn't have to wait very long.

A low growl from above sounded, followed by several swooshing sounds. Ash didn't move an inch, not even when a shrouded figure dropped in front of him. It appeared human, but its looks said otherwise. It was brown, thin, and was hunched over a little bit. It's eyes were red, and in each of it's bony hands it held a small worn sickle. The dark red shroud on the body covered a part of the head as if it were a hood, as well as the main body. It growled again, joined by several growls behind Ash. Ash still hadn't moved, but on his face appeared a small smile. "You know, you should really wear some deodorant. Or at least take a shower.", he said, as he relaxed himself. The creatures growled in response, before the first one jumped up, with its weapons ready to strike. The alley became a lot more crowded in an instant.

Ash waited until the last moment, then grabbed the hilt of his sword, jumped up to avoid the strike, and drew his sword in a fluid motion, only to have it connect hard with the back of the first creature, slicing it in half. With a cry of pain, it exploded it a cloud of dust, which swiftly disappeared. The other creatures looked at Ash, ready to attack again. Ash placed the sword back on his back and drew his handguns. "Well, if you're not going to shower, then let me help you!", he said, as he twirled them around. The creatures lunged forward, while Ash smiled.

Ash dodged the first strike, and blocked the second with the gun in his right hand. He kicked one of the creatures away with such great force, that it exploded like the first one when it struck the wall. Ash jumped up, high above their heads. He then turned himself so that he was headfirst facing the ground, and fired his guns while he was spinning down in a vertical manner. When he flipped himself to land on his feet, all the creatures had turned into dust which disappeared quickly. Ash holstered his guns as he looked around the alley. "Talk about dusting someone off.", he grinned, as he walked on, wiping some of the dust of his coat.

"Good morning professor. And a good morning to you too, Mrs. Ketchum.", the man spoke to them as he got out of the car and closed the door. The professor smiled.

"A good morning to you to, Lance. What brings you here?", he asked, as he addressed the one called Lance.

"I'm here with some news that you might want to hear.", he said, as he shook the briefcase in his hand as to prove a point. Delia smiled at him.

"Certainly Lance. Come inside and tell us what it is.", she said. Lance gave a nod and followed the duo back into the house.

Lance had placed his briefcase on the table and opened it to retrieve some folders out of it. "I'll be blunt. We have a situation that requires the help of your son. But I will start at the beginning.", he said, as he looked at Delia. He placed the folders on the table and started explaining why he had come.

"As you know, we have instructed the Gym Leaders of all the regions to report any strange activities. While it has been quiet for quite some time, it seems that something is up in Hoenn.", he started.

"Hoenn? Why all the way there?", the professor asked. Lance shrugged.

"We're looking into that. To be more precise, one of the Gym Leaders, Mr. Norman Maple, has done some investigation of his own. He came to us with some interesting results.", he explained, as he handed Delia and Oak a folder. Oak opened it, and his eyes widened with concern. He looked at Lance, who merely nodded. "That's true what it says. Norman has discovered a large cult who actively practice devil worship and summoning.", he said. He took a small sip of the tea before he continued. "But that's not the worst part. It seems that they found out that Norman found them out. And needless to say, they weren't happy with it.".

Delia looked shocked. She had met Norman once and he was a very nice man. "Did something happen to him?", she asked, her voice trembling. Lance shook his head, and Delia let out a small breath of relief.

"No, nothing has happened. At least, not yet.", he said.

"What do you mean, Lance?", the professor asked. As an answer, Lance retrieved a piece of paper from his suitcase and handed it to him. Oak read what was on it, and his eyes widened again, but this time, fear was dominant in them. He looked at Lance in disbelief.

"You're saying…", he started, but he couldn't finish the sentence as he again read what was on the paper. Lance slowly nodded.

"Yes, Norman has been receiving death threats. And he fears for his life.", he said, his voice low.

Delia looked at the paper as Oak was reading it, her earlier relief vanished. She noticed a small symbol on the bottom left corner. It looked like a circle with a half circle on it, surrounded by several dots.

"Lance, have you also seen this symbol here?", she asked as she pointed at it. Lance nodded.

"Yes, and thanks to Norman, we know what it is. It is the cult symbol from the group he has been investigating. We don't know more then that I'm afraid.", he told them. Oak placed the paper down on the table.

"This is a very serious matter. I'm sure that you have taken the necessary precautions?", he asked the League official. Lance nodded.

"Yes, we did. His son Max is studying at home, so that's no problem. We have them under constant surveillance, and will spring into action the moment something happens.", he said, as he took another sip of his tea. "But we're not worried about them. His eldest daughter is attending high school. And that could be a problem.", he added.

Oak understood what Lance was implying. "You have nobody suitable for the protection of her. And that's why you ask for Ash's assistance.", he said. Lance smiled at the old professor. Oak was smart for his old age; he could always sense what Lance meant.

"Indeed. We don't have anyone that could fit in our plan to protect her. Ash is the only one suitable for this job.", he said. Delia chuckled.

"My son in a high school? That should prove interesting.", she said with a smile. The trio grinned at the thought of Ash in a high school, trying to get along while doing his job.

"Indeed it will be. But I have the plan right here. Shall we take a look?", Lance said, as he took another folder from his suitcase.

Ash was busy fending off more devils that managed to ambush him on the way back to his office. They looked similar to the ones he had destroyed earlier, save for the different types of weapons these ones carried. Ash shot one at pointblank range in the face, which exploded in a blast of dust, along with the rest of the devil. He then parried an attack with his sword, and launched the devil up in the air. He jumped after it, and while he remained airborne, he slashed the devil to pieces with numerous swipes of his sword, before coming down with a downward slash that finished of another devil. One remained, and it lunged at him. Ash pointed his sword at it, and he skid along the ground with a great amount of speed, impaling the attacking enemy. With a quick motion he drew his gun and shot a bullet in each eye, before slashing the devil in half with an upward slash. A cloud of dust was all that remained, and Ash placed his sword back on his back and holstered his gun as the dust drifted away. He grinned; he hadn't got this much action in a long time. "They put up quite a show. But then again, I'm all game for a little showtime!", he said, and resumed his way.

It didn't take long for him to reach his office again, and he experienced no further ambushes. One thing was for sure, and he knew it. The last few months the attacks of devils and demons have increased a great deal. Although Ash lived for his work and hated everything evil, it was starting to concern him. _"I wonder if the League also noticed it. Having to fight full fledged devils in a crowded city is also getting more and more frequent."_, he thought, as he reached his office. He opened the door and got inside, closing the door behind him. After removing his gear and coat, he sat behind his desk again. _"What's more strange, is that they seem to be coming after me, and seemingly ignore all the potential other targets here."_, he added in his thoughts. It was getting more disturbing by the minute. He took a deep breath, and noticed a certain smell in the air. He sniffed again, and then sighed. He got up and headed for the shower, the second time that day.

Back in Pallet Town, the trio inside Delia's house had examined what the plan of operation was. One thing they could all agree on was that it certainly was something _different_ from what Ash had done before. Still, they wanted to know if there wasn't someone else fit for it. "None I'm afraid. Not even the Gym Leader of Cerulean City applies for this.", Lance explained. Oak nodded in understanding.

"She hunts devils in her spare time as well. She is one of the few Gym Leaders that know they exist. And because she is a Gym Leader means she doesn't fit in this plan of yours.", he said, also explaining it to Delia. Delia chuckled.

"I know that Samuel.", she said grinning. Oak flustered a bit in embarrassment. Lance chuckled as well before he continued.

"Yes, Misty has been a very valuable ally. It's amazing though, that she and Ash have never met, if you think about it.", he said. Delia nodded.

"Indeed, but you know Ash. He's hard to reach and he's always doing his job.", she said. Oak frowned, and the others noticed this.

"Is there something wrong, professor?", Lance asked, curious.

"I think it is probably for the best that they never met.", he said. Delia immediately knew what he meant, but she let the old professor continue. "Because we won't know what will happen if she finds out what Ash really is.", the professor added. Lance shook his head.

"That's ridiculous. She wouldn't kill him.", he said, disbelieving. Oak looked the League official in the eye.

"Maybe, maybe not. She considers everything that is even remotely connected to a devil an enemy, especially when her parents were killed by devils. So what do you think she will do when she discovers what Ash's heritage truly is?". The room was filled with a deathly silence, as they could guess what the answer to that question was.

Delia broke the silence as she handed the file back to Lance. "Now that we know what we have to do, I think I should call my son.", she said. Lance placed the files on the table and closed his briefcase.

"That would be a good idea. I'll take my leave for now. If I know something more, I'll contact you.", he said, as he stood up. "By the way, Samuel. Your grandson sends his regards.", he said with a smile.

"Really? Give him my regards back. How's he doing?", the professor asked with a big smile.

"He's doing fine. In fact, he'll take a vacation in the coming weeks I believe. I'll reckon he comes here to catch up.", Lance said, as he headed for the front door. Oak joined him, as he saw Delia pick up the phone to dial a number.

"Have a good return trip Lance. Goodbye!", the professor said as he waved a single time. Lance waved as well, and then got in his car. Oak closed the door and heard the car drive away when he returned in the living room, where he saw Delia with the receiver on her ear, waiting for the other end to answer her call.

As Ash got out of the shower for the second time that day, he had re-dressed himself in the same clothing he wore today. Exactly the same, as he didn't bother do put on a shirt. He finished drying his hair, and went to clean up his sword. It was a little dusty, but he cleaned it like he did every time he finished a job. He was just about done when he heard his phone ring. He stood up, and with the flat side of his sword he struck the table, making the phone airborne for a moment, before he caught it with the tip of the blade. Tipping it a little made the phone launch in his direction, and he effortlessly plucked it from the air. As he twirled his sword around, he answered the call. He already knew who it was. "Hello mother."

"Hello Ash, my son. How are you?", his mother on the other end asked. Ash continued spinning his sword.

"Well, you know. Visiting some docks, doing some sightseeing. Really, the streets here are so full of dust in some places. Next time you come here, you'd better bring a mouth cap.", he replied, as he started fighting imaginary enemies. He could hear his mother chuckle through the receiver. He knew how he could make his mother smile.

"Really? Be sure to have some kind of protection then when you venture outside.", she replied with a cheery voice. Ash shrugged, as he performed a dazzling amount of stabs in very rapid succession.

"You know me, mother. I wouldn't dare to go out without it. Oh, and if you hear something, that would be me flexing my muscles.", he said, as he finished with a powerful stab into an imaginary foe.

"Well, keep training them then, because Lance visited us just a few moments ago and he has something that only you can do.", she said.

Ash stopped in mid-swing, and placed his sword back against the wall, his attention now completely on the potential new job. "Really. Well, I'm all ears. What do you have for me?", he said, as he leaned against his desk.

"We have received all the necessary information from Lance, but it is better if you come home to see it.", his mother replied. Ash smiled. He loved to get back home and see what Lance had in store for him.

"Alright then, I'll pack a few things and I'll come right over.", he said.

"There's no rush to come right away. If you can come by tomorrow morning, then that will be good too.", his mother replied. That wasn't so bad an idea, as it gave Ash the possibility to get some rest.

"That's ok. I'll see you tomorrow. And before I forget, I have something for the professor.", he said.

"Really? What is it?", Delia asked, curious.

"I'll show it to you tomorrow.", he snickered, and after a short goodbye, the line went silent. Ash placed the phone back in its holder as he headed for his bedroom. "Sleep now, shine tomorrow!", he grinned, and dropped on his bed. He didn't bother to get ready for bed, and in a few short minutes, the devil hunter was sound asleep.


	4. Chapter 3: Catching Wind

**Chapter 03: Catching wind**

After a good night's sleep, Ash awoke with a loud yawn. He got up from his bed and freshened himself up. His minds where with the new mission he was about to do, and like always, he was very exited. He hummed a tune while he got dressed, and headed for the office next. Like always, he would bring his two handguns and sword with him, since those are the tools he always used to do his job. Some might say it his sword for instance is an extension of his own power and an embodiment of Ash's strength and spirit. His guns, like he says, are to "reach out and touch someone, or something". He took his coat from the rack and the guns from the table. He twirled them around a few times and threw them in the air, and they dropped effortlessly in his back holsters on his coat. He then took his sword and placed it in a fluid motion on his back. Now he was ready, and with a wide smile on his face he left his office, to be greeted by the rising morning sun.

The sun was slowly rising in the sky, as Ash sped down the road towards Pallet Town on his bike. He took a detour around Viridian Forest, as it would be easier to navigate outside the forest then being hindered by a view full of trees. After a few minutes more of driving, he finally noticed the largest building of the town in the distance. As he sped up even more, he grinned at the thought of coming home for the first time since a long time. He didn't let up on the accelerator as he entered the town's limits, and sped off towards his mother's home. But his arrival didn't go unnoticed, as there was someone waiting outside in de garden when Ash stopped his motorcycle.

Ash fluidly jumped off his motorcycle and he approached the person in the garden. "Good morning Ash. I must say, you're early.", his mother greeted him with a smile. Ash spread his arms as if to invite her for a hug as he walked towards her.

"Good morning mother. You know me, always on time.", he greeted back. He took his mother in a loving hug.

"I've missed you, my son.", Delia spoke softly. Ash smiled warmly.

"I missed you too mother.", he said. He held her close, and proceeded to swing her around a few times.

"Ash! Stop it, it makes me dizzy!", his mother shouted with a laugh. Ash complied with the order and placed her gently on the ground.

"Couldn't resist.", he smirked. They both shared a laugh before Delia ushered him inside.

Ash placed his sword against the wall in the living room, and took off his coat which held his guns, and hung them on a chair. His mother had gone into the kitchen. "I take it you don't want any tea?", she said.

"No thanks. But something fresh would hit the spot.", Ash replied, as he placed himself in the couch. He placed the bag with Pokéballs on the table. A few minutes later Delia returned with a cup of tea and a bottle of soda.

"Here you go!", she said, and Ash took the bottle from her. He took a long sip from it before placing it on the table. Delia noticed the bag on the table.

"Are those Pokéballs? What do they carry?", she asked as she observed the bag.

"Houndoom. Got them from my last job. They don't appear to be bonded with a devil, but maybe the professor can enlighten us more about the state of these Pokémon.", Ash replied as he took another sip. Delia nodded and decided to let the topic drop for now, and told herself she would bring the Pokéballs to the professor later.

"I'm sure you want to hear what your new job is, am I right?", Delia asked, as she took a sip from her tea. Ash grinned widely.

"You must be psychic mother. So, what kind of job is it this time?", he said, getting excited. Delia took the files she had received from Lance and placed them on her lap.

"Well, it is something… different then what you are used to.", she said with a smile.

Ash frowned. He was always in the mood for something different, as long as it had something to do with exterminating devils and demons, or if it was connected with exterminating said beings. He also never backed down from a job, and whatever this new job was, it sure as hell wasn't going to be the first. Delia handed him the files and Ash opened the first one. As soon as he started reading it, his face started to contort into an angry scowl, which gradually intensified.

"And then to think I've stopped such a cult in Vermillion…", he muttered below his breath. He continued to read on as his mother looked at him, feeling how he felt. His eyes started to glow a little red. Ash closed the file and placed it on the table.

"Safe to say I know what I must do. I'll send them to the place they like so much to draw their powers from.", he said, his voice an angry growl. Delia gently shook her head.

"Not precisely, Ash. Read this as well.", she said, as she handed him the death threat. Ash scanned over it and almost crushed the piece of paper in his hand when he noticed the symbol on the bottom left corner.

"Any idea what this is? Looks like their symbol or something.", he said, as he examined it.

"That's correct. That symbol has been linked to the group that Norman was investigating.", Delia explained.

Ash's anger subsided, and the red glow in his eyes dimmed slowly until it was gone. He placed the piece of paper on the table.

"Does the League have anything solid?", he asked, looking at his mother. Delia shook her head and Ash let out a sigh. "Just great. Can't crash their party if there's no address.", he said, looking away. Delia silently agreed.

"The League does have Norman under protection every moment of the day. But that's not the main problem that Norman has.", she said. Ash stared at his mother again, this time surprised.

"What do you mean, mother?", he asked. Delia didn't reply, but handed her son the second file. Ash opened it and several papers and photo's were inside. As Ash examined the contents, his eyes widened. He didn't notice that Delia's smile widened as well. He looked at her, his eyes full of disbelieving.

"You can't be serious."

At that same moment, only several hundred miles away, the peacefulness of one of the forests in Johto was about to be ripped apart. Silently and swiftly, through the bushes and past the trees, a large team of men and women were moving towards a target, like hunters stalking their prey. And it was exactly that, because these people were hunting a big prize in the early morning. The team, clothed in black uniforms, had been sent to capture the last of their targets: the legendary dog of lightning, Raikou. They has already managed to capture the two other legendary dogs: Entei and Suicune.

In the lead, two hunters moved towards a clearing ever so stealthily. The clearing contained a large lake, and within the lake several rocks stood as a make-shift island. One of them raised his hand, and the rest of the team stopped immediately. He lowered his hand and crouched next to his partner.

"There it is. Looks like the intelligence we got was right.", he said. His partner looked at him through the helmet they all wore.

"You doubted our leads? Don't let the boss hear it, or he'll have your balls, James.", she said. The hunter, known as James, shrugged.

"I don't care, as long as we get paid Jessie.", he said, and motioned the others to spread out. Within seconds, the clearing was surrounded, and the sleeping form of Raikou that lay on the rocks in the lake sensed no danger at all from the humans around him.

James looked around the clearing, but never took his eye off of Raikou.

"Is everyone in position?", he asked his partner. Jessie looked around the clearing more carefully, and saw that every spot they had indicated prior to the attack was accounted for. She gave him a thumbs-up. He grinned, as he activated a small intercom in his helmet.

"We are all in position. Tranquilizers at the ready, and capture team stand-by. Fire at my command.", he ordered. The duo noticed the team readying to execute the next command. The grin on the hunter's face grew wider.

"Fire."

Ash stood up and paced around the living room for a few moments, in total disbelief. His mother wasn't kidding when she said it would be different, but he never would have thought it would be something like this. He sat down again and took the files once more, as he glanced over them.

"Has the League lost its mind or something? Has Lance gone crazy?", he said, his voice filled with a hint of frustration. He still couldn't believe it. His mother smiled at her son's behavior. It seems that even a half-devil can be surprised when using the proper methods.

"Ash, just read through it and examine the photo's. The League could not find anyone else for this task.", she said.

Ash let out a long sigh. "I really doubt that to be honest. I have been home-schooled by you and the professor. And now I'm going to a high school?", he said. He threw his hands up in the air before slumping down in the couch. "This just keeps getting better and better.", he murmured sarcastically. Delia looked at her son. She felt a little remorse for doing this to him, but she knew that there were no other options. Also, a small part of her was enjoying watching her son in despair.

"Ash, allow me to explain a few things.", she said, getting Ash's attention. He sat straight up and looked at his mother, who started to explain in more detail what the job was going to be like.

"You don't have to worry too much about anything. Your job is to be a hidden bodyguard for Norman's daughter. The principal of the school has been informed and has given his full cooperation on this task. You will be placed in her class, so that you can be close to her and keep her from harm. And by harm, I mean any kind of harm.", she said. Ash listened intently.

"So, I don't have to follow subjects or do homework?", he asked. Delia nodded.

"Your cover for this is that you are a transfer student who is examining how the school teaches its students. Only thing you have to do is take notes and participate in school activities.", she explained. Ash grinned. He was starting to like this job now.

Ash looked at the pictures which were included with the file. They showed a girl which had brown hair, blue eyes and was dressed in casual clothing. Ash examined the picture closely so he could recognize her when he got to the school.

"I see that no school uniforms are in order?", he said. Delia nodded. Ash grinned. "Good. They would only get in the way of my style.", he grinned. Delia chuckled.

"Yes Ash. You have a lot of style. But remember, this is a school, not a hunting ground.". she said. Ash shrugged.

"Same thing.", he said.

"Ash, be serious now. How do you think they would react when you walk into the school with your sword on your back and your guns on your coat?", Delia said, a little sternly, but there was a slight humorous tone in her voice. Ash thought about it; she did have a point.

"But going out there without my gear is like walking in there naked.", he said. True, he was strong enough to fight bare-handed, but he loved his weapons.

Delia understood his plight, and smiled.

"I didn't say you could not bring them with you. I only said that it isn't smart to take them to class with you.", she said. Ash thought about it.

"I can hide my guns, and only use them as a last resort to perforate whatever it is that threatens her. But my sword is a different story indeed.", he pondered out loud. Suddenly, he remembered something.

"Where exactly am I going to stay? On the school grounds or somewhere else?", he asked. Delia smiled widely.

"On the school grounds of course!", she exclaimed. Ash groaned a bit.

"But, the principal has arranged a dorm for you, to be used entirely for yourself. No other students.", she added, which brought Ash back from his thoughts. A smile once again plastered on his face.

"I like the principal already.", he grinned.

A large building in Goldenrod City stood majestically above the other buildings. Several stories high, it was nearly as big as the radio tower that was also present in the same city. A modern day office building, owned by one of the greatest companies in the world: Rocketto Pharmaceutical. From outside, Rocketto Pharmaceutical is a pharmaceutical company like the name suggests, making various vaccines and other products for that market. But behind that mask hides the greatest crime syndicate the world has ever seen, known as Team Rocket. Utterly ruthless in their endeavors, they reign supreme in all the regions. Every region has a different HQ they use, so there is no need for a single base of operations. The head of Team Rocket decided to do this, so that if one should fall, the others would prevail. He was a smart man, and he had his sights set on something different now.

On the top floor of the building, he had his office. Seated behind a large wooden desk, he was deep in thoughts as he read an old book with ancient texts. Reading was something he enjoyed; it calmed his mind and it made him think more clearly. This book however, was something he read for the success of his next plan. The ringing from the videophone on his desk tore him from his book. Remembering where he left off, he pushed a button on the device. Instantly, the face of a middle-aged man appeared on the screen, with a few scars on the cheeks and blue hair that looked unkempt. He had a sneer on his face; something that didn't go unnoticed by the leader of Team Rocket.

"James, one of my oldest members. I assume you called me to report the success of your mission?", the leader said in a strong voice. The man on the screen grinned widely.

"Indeed, Giovanni. We have successfully captured the three legendary hounds of Johto. We are on our way to Goldenrod as we speak.", the man known as James spoke. Giovanni's face turned into a wicked smile.

"Excellent. Was there any trouble?", he asked. James shook his head.

"None whatsoever. We've put them to sleep quite easily, thanks to the suits you have given us. Remarkable technology I must say.", he said. Giovanni leaned back in his chair.

"What did you expect? We're not doing our research for nothing, mind you. We always deliver the best we can offer. You should know that by now.", he said. James grinned.

"I got even more then I had expected. But back to the task at hand: I believe we will arrive at headquarters in twenty minutes.", he replied.

"Good. When you return, I want to see you in my office.", Giovanni said, and leaned forward to terminate the call, not waiting for a response.

"You could have chosen to sent me with them.", a voice suddenly sounded in the office. Giovanni didn't react surprised; rather, he smiled as he turned to his book again.

"That I could have done. But I have a more delicate matter for you to attend to.", he said, not looking up. The owner of the voice slowly approached one of the large windows, and stared outside. The light revealed a young man, in its late teens. He wore a blue coat that reached his shins. Brown boots and a dark pair of pants and shirt, combined with the look in his eyes made him look intimidating. His brown-gloved hand held a sheath, which held a katana. His purple hair shimmered in the light as he continued to stare outside.

"Yes, the investigation that one of the Gym Leaders is doing in one of our cults. I am well aware of that. It seemed the Order of the Bloodhound had met an untimely end. They're completely eradicated.", he said, his gaze not averting from the outside view. He closed his eyes for a moment before he continued. "Even with the powers of devils, which we provided for them, they fell. Weaklings.", he added.

"Yes, that was most unfortunate. It was by far one of the most useful groups in Kanto. Raising another cult there would take too much time and would be very costly though, so that is not going to happen.", Giovanni replied, as he closed his book. He turned to the figure at the window. "So I have the Order of the Dice expand instead.", he added.

The blue-coated youth turned to face him. "You're actually giving that lunatic that calls himself 'the Dice' even more influence and power?", he asked. Giovanni nodded.

"He may be a loose cannon sometimes, but he knows that without our help he is nothing. So he does what I say he must do, and he gets from us what he wants. He's good at keeping the attention diverted from us.", he said.

"Hence the death threats he has been sending out to that Gym Leader in Petalburg. Effective, but in the event that he is caught, he will spill it all, just to save his own hide.", the youth said, as he walked towards the desk.

Giovanni shrugged. "You're so sure he will do that. Well, he's so high of himself and loyal to us that he will die before revealing anything. Besides, he is the only one that knows about us, and his followers don't dare question him. So I suggest stop complaining and start thinking straight.", he said, his eyes following the youth as he neared his desk.

"I'm not complaining. I merely say he could be a liability.", the youth said as he stopped before Giovanni's desk. Giovanni sighed and leaned forward.

"Enough of this. You're bored, I can tell. So, you want something to do, right? Well, I'm sending you to Vermillion City. Find out what you can about the extermination of the Bloodhounds. I have a hunch, but I want to be sure. Now go.", he ordered, as he gestured to the door. The youth sighed, and turned to leave.

"Don't make a mistake you are going to regret, dear father.", he said, and left the office, the katana gripped firmly in his hand.

"No, my dear son. Don't make me regret raising you.", Giovanni said as the door closed.

In Pallet Town, Ash was still reading the files and examining the details he needed to know. Although it was vastly different, he had a plan in his head that could work.

"Is she single?", he asked. Delia looked at her son instantly, and she was dumbfounded by that statement. "What?", Ash said, as he noticed his mother's stare.

"Why would you ask that, Ash?", she said, but then a mischievous smile played across her facial features. "Are you taking a liking to her?", she asked sweetly. Ash chuckled.

"Drop it mother. I merely said that because if she is, she is easier to protect then when she has a boyfriend or something.", he told her. Delia grinned.

"Sure Ash, whatever you say!", she chuckled. Ash sighed. Why couldn't his mother act normally? Although he had to admit, the girl in the pictures looked stunning. Then he remembered something as he put the picture back.

"Mother, do you still have it?", he asked. Delia knew instantly what he meant.

"Yes, I will get it for you. Just a second.", she said, and left the living room for a moment, the entire earlier conversation seemingly forgotten. She returned with something in her hand. "Here it is. I took good care of it.", she said, as she handed the object to Ash.

Ash looked at the small trinket in his hands. It was a pendant, roughly shaped like an oval made of silver. In the middle was a golden yellow stone, which seemed to glow in the light, and something seemed to swirl in it. If one looked closely, the stone seemed to emit small sparks of lightning. He stared at it for a long moment, and Delia watched Ash's facial expression change in something that resembled sorrow. Even someone like Ash could feel that at times. As Ash looked at the amulet, he remembered again why he had it.

Almost ten years ago, when Ash was fifteen, he was walking through Viridian Forest, when he heard a faint cry in the distance. Wasting no more time, he rushed to the site to see what it was. He came upon a gruesome display. Before him, a group of devils had attacked a group of Pikachu, and the last one was barely able to defend itself. Ash had rushed in and cut down all of the devils, and tried to help the Pikachu. It fell unconscious and Ash had hurriedly taken it with him to professor Oak for aid. The Pikachu had taken a liking to Ash, and after it had been nursed back to health, it was Ash's companion for a long time, until a routine job turned sour and Pikachu was fatally wounded. Ash had taken a small round stone, and he held it against Pikachu's body. Ash managed to use his own inner devil strength to remove the soul from the fallen Pokémon and bonded it to the rock. He had his mother made a pendant of it and he told her to keep it safe. From time to time, he wears it, and he can feel the spiritual power of the Pokémon through the stone, knowing that it will always be with him.

Ash placed the pendant around his neck and put it underneath his clothes.

"When exactly do I leave?", he asked.

"Whenever you're ready. You are allowed to bring your bike to school, so you do have means of transportation. The school is located in Johto, in Olivine City. It will be quite a trip. Lance has already informed Norman of the situation, and as agreed, May must not suspect anything that you are protecting her. Who knows what will happen when you use your abilities in front of all those students.", Delia explained. Ash gave a nod in understanding.

"Alright, I'll try not to show off too much.", he said with a smile. Delia sighed. Sometimes her son could be sure of himself.

After getting the needed information, Ash packed up his stuff and tossed in a few regular clothes for good measure. He had a large box, where he could hide his sword in. His guns were stowed in his duffle bag. He tied the bag on his bike, and managed to place the box with the sword easily on his back without hindering him while he drove. As he got on the bike, his mother was talking to him for the last few details.

"Norman will be in touch with you via the principal. It is secure, so no-one will be listening in. If anything happens, you know what to do and how to contact me. Once everything has settled down, your job will be done. But that could take some time.", she said, as she handed Ash a cell phone. Ash nodded and gave his mother a hug after he accepted the small device.

"Have no worries mother, because I will see this one through. Remember to bring the Pokéballs to the professor.", he said as he let go of her. After a last wave, he sped off, towards his destination. The midday sun shined brightly in the sky as the dust settled from Ash's departure.

On a boat, coming from the Johto region, stood the blue-coated youth, staring on the front deck at the sea. There were lots of trainers on board, and many had challenged him, thinking he was a trainer as well. But after he had given them a cold, hard glare, they hurried off to find someone else to bother. That's why he hated trips like this, and that's why he stood on the front deck. There weren't many people with him, so he could concentrate on what he should be looking for. He shared the same hunch his father had dropped back in Goldenrod. Needless to say, he was getting a little bit excited over it. For him, challenges were a rare treat, and if their hunch proved to be right, he would be facing his biggest challenge yet.

"Hey you!", voice from behind him shouted, which made him forget his thoughts for a moment. He sighed and closed his eyes for a brief moment before looking at the sea again.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!", he heard again. Judging by the voice, he figured it was another trainer looking for a challenge. He slowly turned around, his coat and hair waving in the wind. He saw a kid looking at him, tossing a Pokéball in his hand. "I'm looking for a challenge, and I'm challenging you!", the kid said, determined to make him fight.

"I am not interested, because I am no trainer.", he said, glaring at the kid with murderous intent. The kid stopped tossing his Pokéball and gulped. Without further speech, he turned around and hastily left the front deck. "Kids…", he groaned, and returned his attention to the sea again. He saw the lighthouse of Vermillion City. He let out a small smile, as his trip was coming to an end.

Ash had made quite a trip and reached Vermillion City in record time. As he entered the harbor, he thought back on the last time he was here. He grinned and steered his bike towards the pier where the ferry would be docking. In the distance, he could see the boat approaching. He checked in and waited patiently for the boat to arrive. But something seemed to be bothering him as the distance between the dock and the ferry lessened. The closer the ferry neared, the more he felt a strange feeling in his stomach. He couldn't place his finger on it what it was; he had never experienced something like it before. Like something was on board the ferry that wasn't neither human or devil. He tried to shake the feeling off, but he couldn't. So, he waited patiently for the ferry to arrive, leaning on his bike, to see what caused this feeling inside of him.

On the ferry, the blue-coated youth stood before the exit, to leave as soon as the docking was completed. He was getting sick of all the trainers on the boat, and his hand gripped his sword tightly at the thought of decimating every single one of them in a single strike. He relinquished the thought; he had other matters to attend to. But as the boat neared the pier, he noticed a feeling inside of him that he hadn't noticed, or experienced, before. He didn't know what it was; it felt like he was been watched. He tried not to focus on it, and when the ferry docked and the doors opened, he left the boat as normal as he could.

Ash watched the people leave the ferry, and waited patiently to board it. The feeling in his gut was at its most intense; whatever it was that caused it, it was close by. Ash looked more closely to the crowd, and noticed a purple-haired youth with a blue coat walking amongst them. He was sure of it now. That person was the course of what he felt right now. As he looked, the youth suddenly looked into his direction. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, time seemed non-existent between the two. They continued to look at each other with great interest, when a crowd of people interrupted their line of sight. As the crowd lessened, the youth was gone. With his mind still registering the event, Ash boarded the ferry and waited for it to depart.

The blue-coated youth had eyed Ash carefully as soon as he felt he was being watched. When their eyes met, he felt a strange sensation, something he couldn't quite place. He moved along, not letting Ash out of his sight. Unwittingly, his grip on his sword tightened. As the crowd got more dense, he walked on, giving it a place in his mind to wonder about later. He removed himself from the crowd, and headed towards the other parts of the harbor, which was still closed off by the police. He managed to gain access to the warehouse where Ash put an end to the cult's remaining members and their leader. Although the police had thoroughly cleaned the place, the youth could still pick up pieces of what had happened. But the most disturbing clue was the scent in the air. His eyes widened for a moment, before he rushed out of the warehouse. He heard the ferry leave when the horn blew, and he stopped dead in his tracks, knowing his attempt was futile. He cursed silently in his mind as he watched the boat leave, as he realized the hunch he and his father had was right.


	5. Chapter 4: Meeting and Bonding

**Chapter 04: Meeting and Bonding**

Ash felt the feeling subsiding the further he got from the harbor. He locked up his bike and waited on the front deck for the journey to Olivine City to end, his luggage next to him. A cold breeze made his coat and hair move around, but he didn't pay attention to it. His mind was still on the youth he had just seen. _"Whatever the case, I'm pretty sure he isn't a normal human. But then again, I can't put my finger on what he is."_, he thought. He stared out over the sea, gently stroking the pendant around his neck. He heard children play and several Pokémon running around. Smiling at it, he relaxed himself and started to think about what he could expect once he reached the high school.

From what he had read, Norman's daughter's name was May. She was younger then he was, around twenty years old if he had read it correctly. She was one of the top students in the campus, and knew how to handle herself. She was no pushover in human terms; she learned how to defend herself from her father, who taught her self-defense. Ash grinned when he remembered reading that. _"Perhaps we should have a little one-on-one when we meet."_, he thought with the grin still on his face. Ash wasn't really worried about what she could do, but fancy footwork and pretty punches don't do much against devils and demons, or even armed assailants. He had learned a few styles himself, and combined them in a wild but effective style of fighting. He rarely needed it; only when he was bored or wanted a challenge.

Ash leaned a bit back and turned towards the various people who walked around deck. Children were playing with their Pokémon, and some trainers were battling, albeit carefully as not to damage the ferry. After watching the scene in front of him, he took his stuff and headed downstairs towards his bike, as he noticed a small speck of land in the distance. Tightening his duffle bag on his bike and placing his box against it, he leaned on his bike and waited for the moment that he would arrive. Closing his eyes, he relaxed himself against his bike, thinking about his next steps.

In the city of Olivine, or more specifically, at the campus just outside the city, miles away from the ferry, students were having their break. The school grounds were flooded with students and teachers, and some Pokémon accompanied said people. Not everyone had a Pokémon with them, and battling was forbidden on the school grounds. Everyone respected the rules, but of course, there would always be certain individuals that choose to ignore those regulations.

On one of the grassy fields, under some trees that shielded anyone below from the sun, sat a trio of girls, chatting away while they ate. They heard some rumors about a new student, and needless to say, they had gotten very excited at the news. It wasn't everyday that a new student would be coming, especially when roughly half of the school year had passed. So if the rumors proved true, which they all hoped, it was something to get excited about.

"So, what do you think what we get? A guy or a girl?", one of them said, her blue hair waving in the gentle breeze.

"Gee, I don't know Dawn. A girl is nice I suppose, but a guy would definitely help. There aren't enough good-looking guys around here.", a brunette replied with a smirk, addressing the blue-haired girl by her name.

"Look who's talking, you've got every guy on campus running after you May.", Dawn snickered. May sighed.

"Yes, and that's what I hate! Every single one of them is looking to get me in their bed. And that green-haired punk is the biggest of them all!", the one known as May exclaimed, leaning against the tree in frustration. True, she was practically the biggest prize any of the male students wanted to claim, but none of them had succeeded, and most of them ceased their actions after one or two attempts. But of course, there would always be an exception to that.

"Calm down May. Drew is a thickheaded moron who thinks he owns the place. You shouldn't let him get to you like that.", a red-haired girl said, giving May a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"I know Zoey. I know. But sometimes I want to strangle him, cut him up, and feed him to the Houndours!", May said, still frustrated. She always ran into Drew, and every time he handed her a rose to prove how much he loves her, or so he wants her to believe. May was smart enough to see beyond his façade, but time and time again he tries. Indeed, Drew seemed to have either a thick skull, or he was very desperate.

"Enough Drew talk. It makes me sick.", May said, as she stretched.

"Oh, but I know you don't mean that, my little angel.", a voice from behind them said. May froze, as she recognized the voice instantly. She stood up and glared at the green-haired student and self proclaimed playboy, and his two ever present friends.

"What do you want now, Drew?", she sighed, obviously not in the mood. Drew smirked and pulled out a rose.

"For you.", he said, ignoring her question completely. May shook her head and turned to her friends.

"Let's go. The air suddenly stinks here.", she said as she took her belongings.

"My dear, you are way too uptight. You should loosen up a little. And I know just how to do that.", Drew's voice sounded. His lackeys snickered.

"By coming with you? Is that what you had in mind? Don't make me laugh.", May said, glaring at him. Zoey and Dawn stood close to her, ready to restrain her in case she lunged at Drew, who had put the rose away. Fortunately for them and Drew, this did not happen, but he was very close into crossing the line.

"I had something in mind like that, yes.", Drew said, his voice bitterly sweet. May almost wanted to hurl.

"Just because you're the son of the principal doesn't mean everyone will bow down to you and kiss your ass. I think somebody should show you your place.", she said with a vile tone in her voice. Drew wasn't intimidated by her threat, although he knew that May and her friends were few of the people that he couldn't persuade by his charm.

"I wonder who will be that person, May. I am untouchable here, and I can do whatever I want.", he said, in a futile attempt to make her reconsider. May snickered.

"Until your luck runs out. Face it Drew, this is bound to end someday, and I will be there when it happens.", May countered, and she turned to walk away.

"Don't you want to know who the new kid is?", Drew shouted after her. May stopped in her tracks, as did her friends. Being the son of the principal had its benefits, and this was undoubtedly one of them. She turned around to face him.

"Humor me.", she spat. Drew snickered as he and his group got closer.

"It happens to be a guy. He's coming here one of these days. And you know what the best part is?", Drew said, as he stopped what seemed to be mere inches before May. May crossed her arms, expecting an answer. "He's assigned to our class. Just the perfect place where I can show him that he has to listen to me, and has to stay away from you.", he said, leaning closer as he spoke. May could barely control her temper.

"You make me sick, Hayden. I bet you're so sexually frustrated that you have to take it out on new students.", she said, her eyes full of fire. Drew backed away slightly, but May didn't let up. "It only shows how much of a coward you are, Drew Hayden.", she added, and before he could reply, May had turned on her heels and headed for the school, her friends following closely behind. Drew let her words sink in, and although he looked cool from the outside, he was infuriated from within. Nobody would speak to him like that. The new student would be in for a tough time, he would make sure of that.

Away from the encounter between May and Drew, the ferry had arrived on the harbor, and its passengers where leaving the boat. Ash had walked with his bike outside, and started it when he was on dry land. _"Now, the school was west of here. Time to hit the road."_, he thought, as he revved the engine. He sped off towards the city limits, in hope of getting to the school campus on time. Fortunately, the drive wasn't too long, and he could see the buildings of the campus even before leaving the city. Not wasting anymore time, he sped up even more, letting the engine roar as he made good time in getting on the campus.

Break was over, and he saw only a handful of students on the school grounds. He parked his bike and took his belongings from it. Carrying the box with his sword loosely on his shoulder and his duffle bag in one of his hands, he headed for the main building in the middle. As he walked inside, he noticed it was built with ancient themes, but it had a modern setting. Admiring the surroundings, he stood before the reception desk. A blonde woman sat behind it, and looked up as she heard Ash putting his stuff down.

"Welcome to the Johto High School Campus. What can I do for you?", she asked with a gentle smile. Ash leaned on one elbow on the desk and returned the smile.

"I have an appointment with principal Hayden. My name is Ash. He is expecting me.", he said.

The receptionist typed in some commands at her pc, and looked at her screen. Ash looked around the lobby. It was very big, and behind the reception were a set of elevators. He was pulled back to the receptionist as she spoke.

"Ah yes, I see here. Principal Hayden is at the top of this building. You can take the elevator behind me. You're lucky you've arrived now. During break the elevators are almost impossible to reach, let alone use.", she said. Ash took his stuff from the ground.

"Well, I guess luck is my middle name. Thank you.", he said, and headed off to the elevators as the receptionist went back to her work.

The elevator ride wasn't too long. Ash leaned against the back end of the cabin as it went up. Not even a minute later, he was on the top floor. Taking his belongings, he left the elevator and looked around. As luck would have it, the principal's office was right across the elevators. He knocked on the door.

"Enter.", a deep voice from behind the door said, inviting Ash inside. Ash opened the door and walked inside the office to see an elderly balding man with glasses sitting behind a desk. Ash closed the door behind him as the principal started to speak.

"Welcome here. I am principal Hayden, head of this campus.", he said, as he stood up and offered his hand.

"It's a pleasure to be here. I'm Ash Ketchum, and as you know I've been sent by the League.", Ash said as he shook the hand of the principal. Both of the men sat down before they continued.

"Yes, that's true. It concerns one of our students. I've been informed on the matter and I will support you as much as I can.", the principal said.

"No offense or anything, but I usually do my job alone.", Ash replied. The principal nodded.

"So I've heard. Well, I still want you to know that my services are yours to be used. So if you need help, any help at all, come to me.", he offered. Ash gave a smile.

"I'll remember that. Thanks.", he replied, his arms folded in a relaxing manner.

The principal started to explain to Ash the rules and regulations of the school. He handed him a notebook and a pen for his cover.

"I've arranged that you report directly to me. The teachers won't be troubling you, so you can do whatever you please. If a teacher says otherwise, you can send them directly to me.", he said. Ash chuckled.

"You should be careful with that sentence.", he said. The principal grinned.

"As long as it doesn't exceed the rules here, everything will be fine.", he added. After some more talking and informing, including that he would show Ash to his first class, he gave Ash directions to his dorm and a schedule. But when Ash started to leave, the principal stopped him.

"Ash, there is one more thing. Nothing too serious, but something that you should know.", he said. Ash turned to him and listened to what the principal had to say. "My own son is in the same class as you and May are. What bothers me the most is that he thinks he can do whatever he wants, and many students comply out of an unjustified fear because I am his father.", he said. Ash managed a laugh.

"So, you want me to put him in his place?", he asked, chuckling. To his amazement, the principal gave a small nod.

"But not too reckless. He thinks he is the man around here, but if he bothers you too much, you are free to do something about it. I can't seem to get through to him, as he continues to pester students. I think he needs to be put in his place indeed, like you put it.", he replied.

"Don't worry, I'm not easily intimidated. I just hope for his sake he isn't going to interfere with my job.", Ash said, and after a final handshake, he left to find his dorm.

The blue-coated youth had reached a Pokémon Center to make a call. To his astonishment, lots of trainers were inside, all looking to heal their Pokémon. He figured it could have been from a battle with the Gym Leader Lt. Surge, but frankly he could care less about that. Wading through the trainers he reached a private phone booth, which he occupied. He dialed a number and waited for the other end to pick up the phone, still frustrated about what had transpired. The only thought on his mind now was who the red-coated youth was. His thoughts vanished when the head of Giovanni appeared on the screen.

"Yes, what is it?", Giovanni asked, obviously annoyed. The call seemed to have interrupted something.

"I have found out what happened to the cult. And I'm also sure of who was responsible.", the blue-coated youth said. This got Giovanni's attention.

"Really. Well then, was it that redhead from Cerulean? The one that takes up devil hunting as a side job?", he asked, as if he half-expected the answer.

"No, it wasn't her, of that I'm sure. No, it was someone else. Someone, or something, that wasn't fully human, like me.", the youth replied. Giovanni's face turned into a surprised frown.

"That's… interesting. How can you be so sure of that?", he asked.

"I've felt it when I left the ferry. I noticed someone on the docks. Our eyes met and we observed each other, but eventually we lost eyesight. Initially, I shrugged it off. But when I reached the place where the cult was murdered, I noticed a scent hanging in the air. It clicked perfectly, and I rushed back, but I was too late. The ferry had already left, with him on it. I know who it is. I'm sure of it.", the youth explained as he told his tale.

"So, you've seen who it is. Well then, I suggest you find him and try to find out what his intentions are. Understood?", Giovanni said. He was visibly disturbed by the news, and he failed to hide it.

"What, are you afraid, father?", the youth sneered. Giovanni's expression darkened, but the youth paid no attention to it.

"Watch it. You're treading on thin ice, my son.", Giovanni growled.

"Whatever you say father. Should I kill him? It has been long since I had a challenge.", he asked, not intimidated by his father.

"No. You are to shadow him and try to find out what his plan is. If it does come to a confrontation, you are not allowed to kill him. If he is who we think he is, we're going to have a hard time.", Giovanni ordered. The blue-coated youth sighed.

"Very well father, it will be done. It seems our hunches were correct.", he said.

"Indeed they were. And I know it will be done, Paul.", Giovanni replied, and the connection was cut.

As Giovanni finished his call, he turned to the three people in his office. The three men were wearing lab coats and one carried a set of papers.

"Sorry about that. You were saying?", he said, not the least bit sorry at all.

"Yes, as we explained, we have studied the legendaries. They are below in the laboratory, and we are ready to start the procedures.", the scientist with the papers said. Giovanni smirked as he stood up.

"Excellent. Show me the way. I want to be there when it happens.", he said. Together with the scientists and his Persian, he left for the laboratory below, the scientists taking the lead.

The laboratory was a high-tech place, with state of the art equipment for various experiments and procedures everywhere. The scientists led Giovanni and his Persian through several rooms and labs, until they reached an observation room. Behind the reinforced glass below, three large cylindrical tubes were built from the same glass as in the observatory. From above, Giovanni could see what the tubes contained: the three unmoving forms of the legendary hounds of Johto.

"I hope for your sake that they aren't dead, or you will be joining them. This will only work when they are alive.", he growled. The scientist backed away a little at Giovanni's statement.

"Have no fear, sir. The hounds are only heavily sedated and are still alive.", he explained. Giovanni looked a little closer and noticed the bellies of the hounds move in an even rhythm.

"Good. When are you ready to begin?", he said. The scientist was about to answer, when a heavy thud from below caught their attention. Entei had woken up from its sedative and was trying to escape by repeatedly bashing against the inside of the tube. Giovanni looked at the scientist.

"Heavily sedated you say?", he said.

"He cannot get out. The glass is designed to withstand any kind of blunt trauma and is heat-resistant.", the scientist explained, as Entei launched a Fire Blast in a futile attempt to escape. Giovanni smirked as he sat down, his mind at ease.

"Alright, let us begin then.", he said. The scientist nodded and pressed a small button on the wall.

"Begin the procedure!", he ordered. Before long, the painful howls of the three dogs echoed through the laboratory.

After Ash had left, Delia had taken the bag of Pokéballs to professor Oak. He was glad to see her, but when he noticed the look in her eyes and the bag in her hand, he allowed her inside and listened to what she had tell him. She handed him the bag of Pokéballs, and told him how Ash came by them. The old professor understood perfectly that he had work to do, and would inform her and Lance about his findings. Delia choose to go home, so the professor could work in peace.

"Hmm, let's see what he have here.", he said to himself as he placed the Pokéballs on a table in his lab. He took a small device from the table, which looked like a spray pistol, but with a solid, tube-like extension. He placed the extension on the small button of each Pokéball, and pressed the trigger each time. "Let's hope this sedative works.", he muttered, as he took all but one ball and walked into a fenced off area, where he released the Houndoom. The sedative worked perfectly; the Pokémon were all fast asleep. He closed the gate, and headed for his table. He released the remaining Houndoom, which was in the same state as the others. He strapped the unconscious Pokémon gently on the table, and started his examination. He was in for a long day, and he knew it.

Ash had traversed the school grounds and found that the campus was very easy to navigate. He found the dorms without too much trouble, and his own dorm was, besides being on the top floor, entirely for him as was promised.

"Might as well get comfortable.", he said to himself, as he placed his stuff on the floor. The dorm was quite large, and it even had its own personal bathroom. The bedroom doubled as study room, complete with desk and bookcases. The outside window, which was quite large, allowed for an impressive view over pretty much the entire campus.

Ash examined the room and proceeded to place his sword, which was still in the box, under his bed. He took his clothes and guns out of his duffle bag, and placed his other clothes in the closet. He placed his guns on his desk, where they shined brightly in the sun. He yawned, and laid himself down on his bed.

"Now, let's see. Where do I have to go tomorrow…", he wondered aloud, as he looked at his schedule. His eyes scanned the table on it and he found his first subject he had to 'attend'.

"Great. English literature. I'll have to find a way to keep myself from falling asleep then.", he sighed. He placed the schedule on his desk and got up to change himself. He returned wearing brown pants, low boots and a black shirt. He took his favorite red coat and his fingerless gloves.

"Time to do a little exploring. A place this big is bound to have something interesting.", he said, and left his dorm. With all the other students, save a few, in class, he figured he had little trouble getting around.

As he headed outside, he figured he could check out the main school first, where he met the principal before. Now he saw that the building was five stories tall, and with a large auditorium next to the reception desk. He figured he could walk through all the floors, just to get a feel of the place. He had to know how to act quickly when things would start to heat up. As he headed for the stairs, the bell sounded.

"Great, change of class.", he said, and rushed upstairs in an attempt not to get trampled by a horde of stampeding students. He was above the staircase when the doors seemed to open as one and students started pouring out. He leaned against a wall, arms folded and let the horde pass. While he did this, he looked around and noticed the reason he was sent to the campus in the first place.

Out of one of the classrooms, he noticed a brown-haired girl leaving, chatting with two of her friends. Being tall enough, he could see were they were going. He glanced over the other students, and noticed a green-haired student and two others hurrying after them. Ash noticed how they caught up with the girls, and observed what was going to happen. Noticing by the stare the girl gave the green-haired guy, she wasn't amused or happy to see him. As the crowd of students thinned, he could hear what they were saying to each other, albeit a bit vaguely. But when he noticed the green-haired guy grabbing her wrist, Ash's stare intensified. He pushed himself off the wall, and slowly headed in their direction.

"Drew, would you mind letting go of my wrist now? This isn't improving your odds, however nonexistent they were to begin with.", May said, glaring at the guy who held her so she couldn't escape.

"Ah, but you know you want me to be with you. I can see it in your eyes.", Drew said, as he refused to let her go. His lackeys had positioned themselves between the two and Zoey and Dawn, preventing them to interfere.

"Drew, I am only going to say this one final time. Let go of me. Now.". May glared. Drew smiled almost evilly; he was enjoying this greatly.

"And what should happen, my dear, if I shouldn't?", he said. May opened her mouth to reply, but a shadow suddenly overcame the two and Drew suddenly yelped in pain.

"Well, if you don't listen to the lady, then this will happen.", a voice said, startling everyone.

Drew looked down to his arm, and noticed a gloved hand gripping it tightly. The six students looked at the newcomer, who was glaring down at Drew. He stood the tallest of them all, looking down at Drew by a small margin.

"Don't you know that when a lady says no, that she means it?", the stranger said, gripping a little tighter. Drew's hand loosened his grip on May, and she pulled herself free, looking at the unknown youngster. Drew glared at him, while he gritted his teeth.

"Let go of me, whoever you are, or you'll regret it!", he almost shouted. Ash snickered, and let go of his arm. He waved his finger in Drew's face like a teacher scolding a kid.

"You should never hurt a lady. That's not gentleman-like.", he said. Drew's eyes glared hatefully at Ash.

"You just have made a big mistake. This isn't over, not by a long shot.", he growled, and left Ash and the girls, his lackey's following him, giving Ash equally hateful stares as Drew.

As they all saw the trio leave, May turned to her savior.

"I don't know who you are, but I could have taken him myself. Still, thanks for the help.", she said with a smile. Ash grinned.

"I bet you could. Name's Ash, and who are you?", Ash asked, as he extended his hand to introduce himself. He knew of course full well who she was, but for the sake of his job he played the act. May shook his hand as her friends came over as well.

"My name is May, and these two are my friends, Zoey and Dawn.", she said, as she introduced them.

"It is a pleasure meeting with you.", Ash said, as he released May's hand and shook the hands of the other girls.

"So, now that we know each other, why are you here? I've never seen you before.", Dawn asked. Ash grinned.

"That's because I'm new. I'm a transfer student from Kanto.", he explained. The looks on the faces of the girls made him chuckle inside when he said that.

Paul walked impatiently on the deck of the ferry he had boarded. After the conversation with Giovanni, his father, he had made his way back to the harbor and boarded the ferry when it arrived, to pursue the unknown red-coated youth.

"Finally I have witnessed the son of the legendary traitor. It's a shame I am not allowed to kill him, but I will fight him. I'm eager to see what he is capable of.", he said to himself as he halted against the railing of the deck. Although he was allowed to fight him should it come that far, he only wanted to fight if he could kill his adversary. But for now, he was content with what had been offered, and he would make sure it came to a confrontation.

But the most strange part was the expression his father showed. It hadn't gone unnoticed by him, and he wondered what it meant.

"_Does he know something that I don't? Is he hiding something from me?"_, he thought. Whatever it was, he didn't like it. It wouldn't be the first time he was kept out on important information. But something in his guts told him that this was far more important then it seemed.

"_I'll talk to him about this. I hope for his sake that he isn't keeping anything from me."_, he added in his thoughts. Leaning a little backwards, he kept thinking to himself as the ferry neared Olivine City harbor. The sun was starting to set, and he would put his plan into action the next day.

The howls of pain in the laboratory had ceased a while ago. Giovanni watched in delight as he saw what had transpired before his eyes. A crackling voice sounded through the intercom.

"Procedure has been completed successfully.", a voice said.

"Excellent. Let them be for now.", the head scientist said. He turned to Giovanni.

"Well sir, do you like what you see before you?", he asked. The head of Team Rocket grinned widely.

"I am impressed.", he simply said, as he walked a little closer to the glass window to get a better view.

Below, in the glass tubes, the three unmoving bodies of the legendary hounds lay. But they had changed significantly. There were pieces of skin missing, and a dark purple aura or mist swirled around the bodies. One of the hounds moved, and Giovanni saw Raikou slowly getting to its feet, saliva dropping from its large teeth. Giovanni smirked.

"The legendary hounds of Johto, bonded with a devil, and slaves to my will. Excellent!", he exclaimed, as Raikou let out an otherworldly howl of rage.


	6. Chapter 5: Meeting In High Places

**Chapter 05: Meeting In High Places**

Ash had woken up in his bed, and yawned widely. After he had introduced himself to the girls and enjoyed their flabbergasted expressions, he stayed to talk for a few minutes before he walked off, telling them he would see them tomorrow. Their classes had finished for the day, and they invited him to join them in a small shopping trip. Ash gently rebuffed the offer, but deep down he exhaled sharply, glad he got away from that idea. He told them he had some stuff to do in his dorm, and after saying a few goodbyes, he had walked off to his dorm, leaving the girls alone to talk amongst themselves. He figured that he needed a good night sleep to be fresh for the next day.

He was finishing himself up in a more casual outfit, wearing black pants, a black and red shirt, and a sleeved red and black jacket, along with his fingerless gloves and brown boots. He didn't want to take his guns with him, however tempted it may seem for him to bring them along into the classroom. But then again, the sound of screams of terrified students that could notice those in a twist of fate was reason enough for him to leave them in his dorm. As he mused some more, he heard a knock on the door of his dorm. As he put his pendant on, he turned to open the door. He saw principal Hayden standing in front of him.

"A good morning to you, Ash. Had a pleasant night?", the principal asked. Ash nodded as he took his notebook and walked out of his dorm.

"Yeah, I've been out like a light. A good morning to you too, by the way.", he replied as he locked up his dorm. Together, they headed out of the dorms and into the main school building.

"I think something to eat is in order, what do you say?", the principal offered, as he led Ash to the cafeteria. Ash's stomach growled in response.

"Well, there's your answer.", Ash said with a grin. The principal chuckled and walked into the kitchen. There were a few people working and preparing various sorts of breakfast. After a moment or two, the principal returned with a few sandwiches. While they ate, they headed for the teacher's lounge. More students started to appear in the halls, making themselves ready for their first class.

"Your first class is English literature. Are you a literature person, so to speak?", the principal inquired as they sat down. Ash shook his head and swallowed another bite from his sandwich.

"Not really. I'm not that much into texts and books. I'm more of the hands-on approach.", he replied. The principal nodded in understanding.

"I'm a big fan of literature. But we can't all be the same, can we?", he said.

"No, I suppose we can't.", Ash replied. _"And I should HOPE not."_, he added in his mind. He finished his sandwich when the principal noticed the pendant hanging around Ash's neck.

"That's quite a unique piece of jewelry.", principal Hayden observed, as he looked a little closer. Ash took the pendant in his hand and held it a little in front of him, so that the principal could have a better look.

"This pendant is very dear to me. It is a final memento of something that happened years ago.", Ash explained. The principal noticed the change of tone in Ash's voice, and decided not to inquire further.

"I see. Well, it looks unlike anything I've ever seen before.", he said, as he sat in his chair again. He looked at his watch. "Well, the students should be in their classes now. I think it is a good time to go now. Are you coming?", he asked rhetorically, as he stood up. Ash gave a nod and stood up as well, and followed the principal out of the teacher's lounge.

"By the way, I ran into your son yesterday.", Ash said as they walked through the halls. The principal looked at him curiously.

"Really? How'd it go?", he asked. Ash shrugged.

"If you don't mind me saying, it seems he has a real attitude problem. He doesn't know when to stop or quit.", he said, and Ash explained what happened. The principal nodded in understanding.

"I suppose you did the right thing. He shouldn't bother other students, but around that girl he seems even more of a bother.", he said.

"He sure shouldn't. Especially if they hate his guts, female or not.", Ash added with a grin. The principal couldn't help but grinning as well.

In one of the classrooms, the students were busy chatting with each other when the teacher walked in.

"Alright class, be silent please. Let's see if everyone is here.", the teacher said, and she picked up a list of names and went by them one by one. After she finished she found nobody absent.

"Students, before we begin with today's lesson, there is a new student that is assigned to your class. He will be arriving any moment, so I'll wait with today's lesson until he gets here.", the teacher explained. Immediately, students began whispering amongst themselves, wondering who it could be. Some of the guys thought it could be a new wimp to bully, while the girls were excited to see how hot the new student looked. Unbeknownst to them, six students in their class already knew the answer.

"At least we know what kind of guy it is, don't we girls?", Zoey said to her friends in a whisper. Her two friends nodded.

"But alas, we are not the only ones.", May replied, as she glanced over at Drew for a moment. He was staring at her and winked. She rolled her eyes and turned back to her friends.

"Still, it was kind of fun how he took on Drew. You have to admit, that was a pretty cool display.", Dawn said, lightly grinning. Her friends started to giggle.

"That is so true. The look on Drew's face was priceless. Well, wonder how long it will take.", May wondered. As soon as she had spoken those words, the door to their classroom opened, and principal Hayden walked in.

The classroom turned silent immediately and every student turned their attention towards the principal, who stood now in front of the class.

"Good morning students. Today I bring you a new student. He is a transfer from Kanto and is here to see how you are being taught and educated here.", he explained. He turned to the door and motioned for Ash to come in. As soon as Ash came into view, the students stared at him. The bullies knew for a fact that this one wasn't exactly an easy target, and the girls were immediately love struck by his handsome appearance. Ash scanned the classroom and noticed the six students he met earlier, but for the moment he paid no attention to them. He decided it was time to introduce himself.

"Hey there. My name is Ash Ketchum, and I'm from Kanto. The principal just explained what I am doing here so I'm not going to bother you all with that again.", Ash said, and a few students giggled at his comment.

"Well then, I shall take my leave. Ash, you can sit there in the back if you want.", the principal said, as he pointed past May's table to a spot behind her.

"That will be fine. Thanks.", he replied, and as he started walking towards his spot, the principal left the classroom, but not before shooting one last look at Drew, who slightly cringed. He regained his composure quickly and glared at Ash's approaching form, because he had to pass him in order to reach his seat. Drew nudged one of his lackey's.

"Watch this.", he said, and when Ash was almost next to Drew's table, he quickly extended his leg a bit in an attempt to make Ash trip. He felt how Ash struck his leg with his foot, but the outcome was quite different then Drew expected. Instead of seeing Ash fall down, Drew's leg was pulled backwards, making him fall face-first on his desk with a loud crashing sound. The class looked at him in surprise as Ash reached his seat, pretending not to notice anything.

"Mr. Hayden, what are you doing? Kissing your desk? I assure you that they were cleaned the night before.", the teacher said, making the class erupt with laughter. Ash snickered as well, knowing that his little backfire trick had worked. He removed his jacket and hung it over his seat, and shifted his attention forward while he sat down. He felt but ignored the hateful stares of Drew with a subtle smirk on his face.

In the woods around Cerulean City, hundreds of miles away from Johto, a gentle breeze played with the hairs of a young woman, who was walking on a small path. Her red hair hung loose, giving the wind even more leisure to toy with it. And while there was nothing wrong with walking through the woods, her appearance might have scared off people if they met her.

Her slender legs were concealed by a tight pair of blue pants, and her body was covered by a slightly loose white shirt and red vest. Her gloved hands rested on two pistols, strapped in holsters on her thighs. On her back a shotgun was slung, with its barrel facing upwards. One could have mistaken her for a hunter, and then again, one could be right about that. She was a hunter, that much was certain. But it was the game that she hunted that set her apart.

She halted her pace, and looked around at her surroundings. The woods weren't that thick here, so anyone or anything that could be sneaking up on her was easily noticed. She let herself be more relaxed, her hands still resting on the grips of her guns. She shifted her weight a little bit, and suddenly jumped forward, dodging something that struck the ground she had been standing just a moment ago. She gripped her guns tightly, and drew them while whirling around, aiming at her target that stood in front of her, as she gracefully landed on her feet.

In front of her stood a Scyther, but it looked vastly different then a regular one. Its claws where more profound and sharper, and something seemed to ooze off of them. Its body was a sickly green, almost like it was decayed flesh. Its wings were uneven and torn with bits and pieces missing, and its head was the same shade of green with red, evil eyes, that leered menacingly at the girl. A faint purple mist could be seen swirling around it, which moved every time the tattered wings flapped. The creature kept glaring at her, as more Scythers moved towards them. She grinned, and her guns clicked, which meant that hell broke loose.

Three Scythers lunged themselves at the girl, who responded by firing her guns, sending bullets into their heads. She gracefully leapt over a falling body, and while still in the air, she dodged a few slashes that another Scyther swung her way. After the final strike, she placed her boot on the blade-like appendage, and proceeded to give the Scyther a hard kick under its head. With a sickening crack it jerked backwards, and she fired a few shots in its now exposed throat, sending blood and pieces of flesh everywhere.

After the body fell down, she leapt backwards, and threw her guns in the air. The two remaining Scythers were momentarily distracted, and that was all she needed. In a fluid motion, she took the shotgun from her back and fired away. A moment seemed to pass, and she swung the shotgun back on her back, and caught her guns effortlessly, sending a final shot into each of the Scythers' skull. She reloaded as the two Scythers crashed down on the forest ground. She gave them one final look, and turned around and walked away. But the look of sorrow would be present on her face for quite some time.

Paul had stayed in a hotel in the city, and had left when the sun had just risen. He had a few miles to cover, but with his quick pace this was not a problem. It was before long that the campus came into view. He quickened his pace even more, and after a small amount of time he stood before the gates that separated him from the school grounds. The gate was open and he walked inside, seeing several students sitting on benches or in the grass. Some of the students eyed him suspiciously, but he paid them no mind. That was, when he heard a voice from behind.

"Hey, you there!", he heard someone say. The voice belonged to a young man. Paul sighed inwardly and kept on walking.

"Hey, you! Are you deaf?", the voice sounded again. Paul had stopped now, and slowly turned around to see four male students. The looks on their eyes told Paul that they were itching for a fight, or looking for trouble. Paul wasn't in the mood for it, but a little action might keep him from falling asleep.

"So you're not deaf. Listen up, you walked on our turf, and your new. So that's going to cost you.", one of them, obviously the leader of the group, said. Paul turned completely to face them now.

"And what if I refuse?", he coldly asked. "Well, then you are going to have a problem.", the leader responded as he cracked his knuckles.

Paul stood still and eyed the foursome as they surrounded him. Luckily there weren't many students outside to witness what was about to happen next.

"So, you're not going to pay, are you?", the student said, glaring at Paul. He was a little bigger and more muscular, as were his friends.

"Does it look like I'm going to?", Paul responded, as he gripped his katana by the sheath, hidden from their eyes.

"No, I suppose not. But either way, you are going to pay.", the student said with a snicker. Paul let out a faint grin.

"If you want me to pay so badly…", he said, eyeing the four before he continued, "…then make me."

"Oh, you've asked for it now!", the student roared, and he prepared his fist to strike. But he, nor his friends, never landed a blow. Faster then that they could follow, Paul had swung his still sheathed katana at them, hitting every single of his attackers in rapid succession a few times, before he smacked them on the side of their heads which made them tumble to the ground. He looked at his fallen enemies.

"Pathetic.", he said. The leader quickly got up, but halted immediately when Paul had unsheathed his sword and pointed it at his throat. Sweat started to form on his forehead, as he had never seen the sword coming.

"Listen to me. You are going to walk off, and you will never speak of this. If you do, and don't even think I won't find out, I will come for you and kill you. Understand?", he said, looking the student dead in the eye. He nodded feverishly, and when he got up, he and hid friends made a hasty retreat. Paul watched them leave as he sheathed his katana. After he saw they were gone, he turned around and headed for the school, letting out a bored sigh.

After class was over after a lengthy period, it was time for lunch. Ash had taken his jacket and stuff and was ready to leave when he was stopped by May.

"Hey Ash, would you like to have lunch with us outside?", she asked with a smile. Ash grinned, this was the perfect opportunity to keep an eye on her.

"Sure, I would love that. Just lead the way and I'll follow.", he replied, and followed the trio of girls out of the classroom. He snickered when he felt the anger-filled stare of Drew piercing his back. Before he left the classroom, he looked at Drew and gave him a smile and a wink, and then he was gone. Drew rose from seat angrily, and left the classroom as well, followed by his two lackeys.

During lunch, they sat outside, eating their meals. Ash surprised the girls by being a very big eater, as he had more on his plate then the three girls combined.

"My God Ash, you sure can eat a lot!", Dawn said with amazement. Ash swallowed his portion and prepared for the next.

"Well, I have a healthy appetite, you could say.", he replied as he took another bite. May grinned.

"Great, the new guy happens to have the table manners of a pig.", she chuckled. Ash swallowed his bite and proceeded to make the sound of a pig, which made the girls double over in laughter.

"Hey Ash, do you have any Pokémon?", Zoey asked, after she finished her meal. Ash swallowed hard before he replied.

"Used to have one. A Pikachu to be precise.", he said.

"I see. Where is your Pikachu now?", Dawn asked, but she regretted asking the question as she noticed the change in Ash's mood.

"He was taken from me.", he said. He reached for his pendant and showed it to the trio. "I keep this as a memento to him. It is the only thing that I have left of him.", he said, as the trio looked at the pendant. "So no, I don't have Pokémon, and I don't train them either.", he added.

"Aw, it seems the new guy does not only know his place here, but he is also such a weakling he doesn't train Pokémon.", a voice from behind them said. They didn't have to guess who it was.

"Well, if it isn't our buddy Drew. How've you been? Kissed any tables lately? I've heard the secretary's desk is still single.", Ash said without turning around. The girls broke into a fit of laughter as they noticed Drew's face turn beet-red at Ash's statement.

"Shut it, Ketchum. I don't want you defile May's innocence with your rude manner of speech.", Drew said after he cooled down.

"Drew, my innocence is none of your business, and if anyone would defile it, it would be you.", May replied, annoyed. Ash let out a snickering laugh. The girl had spunk, he had to give her that.

Drew glared at Ash. His pride had taken a serious hit today, and he wasn't going to let it get any worse.

"You think that is funny Ketchum? You don't seem to understand that I can make you disappear easily.", he said. Ash turned to face him, but he didn't got up.

"Really? You do magic tricks? I would like to see some.", he replied. Again, the trio of girls started to giggle, and what was left of Drew's pride went down the drain. However, Drew had one last trump card to play.

"Well, since you think this is funny, let me tell you something.", he said, but Ash interrupted him.

"Wait, don't say. Your father is the principal, and if I do something to you he can have me expelled. Is that what you wanted to say?", he said, looking at Drew with a devious smile on his face.

Drew's expression was, again, priceless. He hadn't figured the newcomer would be this hard to crack, or to intimidate. Anger welled up inside of him, and eventually it got the best of him.

"I'll make you regret you ever came to this school and try to take my girl!", he shouted, and before anyone could protest or say anything, he threw a punch towards Ash and May let out a surprised yelp. But Drew's punch never struck its target, as Ash had blocked the attack. What was the most surprising however, was that Ash only used his index finger to halt Drew's assault.

"Drew, that wasn't very nice, you know that?", Ash grinned. Drew returned his fist to his side and turned to leave, perplexed.

"This isn't over Ketchum. Not by a long shot.", he said over his shoulder, and he and his lackeys left the foursome alone.

May found her voice the first to say anything. "Wow… I have never seen anyone do that to Drew, or anything like that at all for that matter.", she said, still trying to register the event in her mind. The other two girls were also speechless. The new student definitely was something else, and they never expected to see him standing up to Drew. Ash relaxed himself again, and sat down grinning.

"Well, Drew is a punk and he needs to be taught a lesson. But I let him make the first move. He surprised me though, I never guessed he would snap that fast.", he said.

"I must admit, neither did we. You're the first who got Drew fired up like that.", Dawn replied. Ash shrugged as he stood up.

"Like I said, the kid is a punk and I can't stand punks.", he said, as he was joined by the others. May giggled.

"It seems we all have a lot in common.", she said. The foursome shared a hearty laugh as they prepared themselves to go back inside the school.

Suddenly Ash felt something he had felt before. The same feeling he had when he was waiting for the ferry.

"Ash? Is there something wrong?", May asked, as she noticed Ash's look on his face as they walked. Ash faked a smile.

"Nah, there is nothing wrong. Listen, I'm going to meet with the principal. Could you tell the teacher I'll be a bit later?", he asked them. May gave a nod.

"Sure, we'll see you in class then.", she said, although she wasn't entirely convinced.

"Thanks. I'll be back before you know it.", he said as they entered the school. While the girls stayed on the ground floor, he rushed up the stairs as he saw how crowded the wait for the elevator was. He rushed up the stairs, and made his way to the roof of the school. He opened the door, and was greeted by a cold voice.

"You showed up at last."

Ash looked at the blue-coated youth in front of him.

"Yeah, I figured that at our last meeting we didn't really get to know each other.", Ash replied, as he took a few steps towards him. He noticed the katana gripped in Paul's hands.

"You plan on using that?", he asked nonchalantly. Paul shrugged.

"Maybe, depends on how we get along.", he replied.

"Fair enough. Now, since we're up here all alone, why don't you tell me who you are?", Ash asked, eyeing him.

"Who I am is not important. But I can tell you that we are the same. Only you aren't ready to face me yet.", Paul replied with a subtle sneer.

"You know, I wouldn't bet too high on that. I've dealt with your kind more then you have hair on that head of yours. So what makes you so different from the others then?", Ash inquired. Paul shrugged again.

"I'd say that looks can be deceiving. However, I have strict orders not to kill you. But if you're that eager to fight me, then we'll fight. When the time is right, we will do battle.", he said. Ash snickered.

"Big talk for a little man. I wouldn't have figured you for a coward though. But if that's the way you want to play it, then fine.", he said. Paul seemed unfazed by Ash's statements.

"I would advise to keep your wits about you. You'll never know when you need them. When next we meet, I shall prove just how weak you are.", he said, as he walked towards the edge of the roof. He glanced over his shoulder. "Until that time, I will keep observing you, son of a traitor.", he added, and before Ash could interfere, he jumped off the roof. Ash raced towards the edge, but his mysterious adversary had disappeared. He turned around and walked away.

"Son of a traitor huh. That's a new one.", he said to himself as he headed for his class.

Professor Oak had finished his examination of the Houndoom. When he finished with the last one, he was glad that it was over, but he had accumulated a wealth of new information. The large Pokémon had woken up, but surprisingly, they remained quiet and calm, which was very unusual for a Houndoom.

"They did something else with these Pokémon. They're way to docile and quiet.", he muttered to himself. He took a small scanning-like device, and pointed it at the Houndoom. "Brainwaves seem normal. Wait a second… What is this?", he said surprised, as he saw the readings on the device.

After connecting the device to one of his computers, he started analyzing the readings he had gotten.

"Strange. Their brains work perfectly, but it seems their natural ferocity is almost nonexistent.", he said to himself. He turned around and looked at the Pokémon, who lay quietly on the floor of their cage like a fresh batch of puppies. "I can only guess what they have done to you.", he said to them. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. He was going to need help on this case. He waited for the phone to be answered as he looked at the Houndoom, who seemed to have a look of fear in their eyes.

"Hello, this professor Elm.", a voice on the other end spoke.

"Hello Elm, this is Oak. How are you, old friend?", professor Oak replied. He could hear a chuckle.

"Hey, watch who you're calling old, old-timer!", professor Elm replied. The two professors laughed a bit before Oak turned to the matter at hand.

"Elm, listen. I have some Houndoom here, and they are acting unlike their normal behavior.", he explained. "

Odd indeed. Have you noticed anything else?", Elm replied.

"Well, some strange patterns in their brainwaves. And they seem to be afraid, every single one of them.", Oak explained.

Professor Elm thought heavily. This was unlike the normal Houndoom indeed. "You can send them over if you want, but the meeting with the League is coming up this weekend. I take it that you're going to attend as well?", he asked. Like Oak, Elm was also aware of there being devils and demons. In fact, all of the professors knew this.

"Yes, of course I'm going. Delia Ketchum is coming as well, as is the Cerulean Gym Leader.", he said.

"I see. Well, you can give me the Pokéballs there then, and I'll take them with me when I go back.", Elm replied.

"That would be a great idea. See you in Petalburg!", Oak said, and after a few goodbyes, he hung up. He leaned back in his chair. "I wonder what is going on with them.", he wondered aloud, as he looked at the now sleeping Houndoom.

As Ash was heading down the stairs, he felt his phone ringing. He took it out of his pocket and answered the call. Not surprisingly, it was his mother.

"Hello mother, how are you?", he asked.

"I'm fine Ash. How are things over there?", Delia replied. Ash shrugged.

"It is going fairly well I suppose. But I just met someone who seems to be following me. He's quite strong from what I can sense, and called me a son of a traitor. Don't know what his problem is though.", he explained.

"Are you sure? You better be careful Ash.", Delia said a little fearful. Ash smiled.

"You know me mother, nothing to worry about.", he replied.

"I know Ash. But I can't help to be a little afraid.", she said.

"Everything will be alright mother, don't sweat it. I'll deal with him, or it, later.", he assured her.

Delia breathed out with content. Her son never let her worry, and she always felt at peace when he told her it would be fine.

"I know you will, my son. But the reason I called is something else. Norman has requested a meeting with me, professor Oak, Lance and others to discuss some important matters regarding his investigation at his home in Petalburg in Hoenn.", she said. Ash's attention was instantly gotten.

"Really? Did he found out something else then?", he inquired.

"He didn't say that, only that is really important what he has discovered.", Delia replied. She too was very anxious to know what the good man had uncovered.

"Should I be there, or should I stick to the job?", Ash asked, bringing Delia back from her thoughts.

"That won't be necessary. Keep her safe at the best of your abilities and don't worry about us. I will let you know what we have learned.", Delia said.

"Alright mother. I hope to see you soon.", Ash said, a little disappointed. They said goodbye and Ash hung up.

"A meeting eh. I wonder what May's father has discovered.", he said to himself as he descended the stairs.

"I wonder where he is.", May whispered to her friends. After she had told the teacher that Ash was in a meeting with the principal, they had another boring class. Luckily for them, it was almost halfway through.

"Beats me. But maybe the principal has a lot to discuss with him.", Zoey replied, also in a whisper. May gave her friend a nod, but she wasn't entirely convinced. He had left in somewhat of a hurry, and she had noticed it. She wanted to whisper something again when the door to their class opened, and Ash walked inside, earning him the various looks of the other students.

The rest of the class went by quickly, and before they noticed, the bell rang and the final class of the day was over. The students of their class had their weekend now, and May and her friends had decided to hold a little sleepover during the weekend at her home in Hoenn. It was planned to invite a few more friends over as well, but nobody had time to attend, and most of all they didn't want Drew to be there. May had decided it would be a good idea to have Ash come over, and much to their delight, he accepted the invitation.

"We're planning on taking the boat to Hoenn. Do you have any kind of transport to get to the harbor?", May asked, as she and her friends stood outside Ash's dorm.

"I have my own bike, so that shouldn't be too much of a problem. What do you say if we meet at the harbor? I have a few things to do and by the time I'm done you all should be there then.", Ash replied. The girls squealed a bit when they heard that Ash had his own bike.

"That would be great. We can take the bus and meet you there!", May exclaimed. They made some small arrangements and left Ash alone, who entered his dorm.

Outside, Paul was waiting just outside the school grounds. He had observed Ash and the girls long enough to know what the deal was, and when he had heard that they would travel to Hoenn, he decided he would attend that little sleepover party too. But he wouldn't be serving drinks or food. He would only serve cold steel and murderous intent. He could only hope that Ash would have a strong stomach for that. Both of them knew of each other's presence. And both were equally excited at the inevitable confrontation. Paul turned around and left the campus, a devilish grin plastered on his face.


	7. Chapter 6: No Smooth Sailing

**A Small Author's Note: **I have decided to dedicate this fic to Aiselne Nocturnus Phoenix. If it wasn't for her, this story would have never taken off. And Aiselne, no matter how hard it is these days, know that there are still peope out there who you can depend on. Take care!

**Chapter 06: No Smooth Sailing**

As Ash felt that Paul's presence was fading, he smirked.

"He sure is pushing his luck I must say.", he said to himself. He had called his mother about the situation and explained that he was coming to Hoenn by sheer coincidence. Delia was delighted, but she knew she had to put up an act to ensure May's safety. After the call, he changed his clothes to a red and black shirt, brown pants and black boots, and he had put on his red coat, which he left open, letting it wave around in the wind. His fingerless gloves were on his hands as he picked up the duffle bag from the ground. He carried the case with his sword out of his dorm and locked the door.

"Alright, it's party time!", he grinned, as he headed out of the building. But in all honesty, it wasn't May's party that was on his mind.

Paul was almost a fair distance from the campus, when he heard voices behind him. He turned around and noticed Drew and his lackeys walking behind him. He slowed down his walk when he heard Drew mentioning May's name.

"_This could be interesting."_, he thought as he walked a little slower. Unmistakably, he heard Drew talk about May and about Ash, and not in a pleasant way about the latter. Paul couldn't help but smirk. Not only did he learn the name of his enemy, but he found a way to get to him more easier then he had planned. This would be most interesting indeed.

Drew had left his friends while he walked alone towards the harbor. His mind was still brooding plans on getting back at Ash, and he needed time to cool off, so he opted to walk the distance. He would not be humiliated like that again, and he would make Ash pay no matter what. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the figure standing in his path until it was too late, and with quite some force, he crashed headfirst into it.

"Hey, watch where you're going!", he said angrily, looking at the purple-haired person in front of him. He rubbed his head where he felt a little pain.

"Why don't you watch where you're walking. After all, you crashed into me.", the young man replied. He hadn't budged at all from the impact, but Drew didn't notice that.

"Whatever. I'm off.", Drew said, as he walked around the young man to continue his way.

"You want to get together with May, right?", the young man called after him.

Drew instantly froze in his tracks. How could that guy know of May? Drew turned around to face the stranger, who was now walking towards him slowly.

"It seems I have your attention.", he said with a smirk. Drew glared at him in return.

"How do you know of May?", he asked, suspicious. Something about this guy seemed… off, to Drew.

"How I know her is not important. What is important, is that you want to be with her, but that Ash is in the way, correct?", the stranger countered. Drew could not deny that fact, and he had various thoughts racing through his head while the young man stopped in front of him.

"I can help you get your precious May.", he added. Drew looked at him dumbfounded.

"Really? And how do you propose to do that?", he asked. The suspicion wasn't completely gone from his mind. How could this stranger help him?

"I'll explain that later. You see, I want Ash out of the way as well. So why don't we work together, and see to it that both our needs are fulfilled?", the young man replied, looking Drew in the eye. Drew thought about it. It sounded very good. Too good.

"What's the catch?", he asked.

"There is no catch, and no strings attached.", the young man replied, with a small smile that Drew failed to notice. Drew smirked, but in reality he wasn't thinking straight anymore. All he cared about was getting May.

"Alright, you've got my interest.", he said with the smirk still on his face. The young man smiled.

"I knew you would be interested. My name is Paul. And listen very carefully to what I have to say.", Paul said, as the duo walked away.

Paul and Drew were long gone when Ash reached his bike. "Alright, time to get this show on the road!", he said, and sped off towards the harbor, leaving the school grounds behind him. He easily kept his stuff on the bike, but for safe keeping, he had his guns within reach. He silently hoped he would run into his mysterious adversary, and when he did, he would perforate him on the spot. Ash grinned at the thought. This would be a most interesting weekend indeed.

"Delia, are you ready?", professor Oak asked while he stood down the stairs of her house.

"I'll be down in just a minute!", was the reply the professor got. He let out a small sigh and headed for the living room. He knew how long these 'minutes' could take.

"She'll be down in a minute she said.", the professor said to a female person in the living room. She smiled, her red hair falling behind her head as she looked up from her seat.

"That's okay professor. Knowing myself, and especially my sisters, I understand completely.", she said with a grin. The professor chuckled.

"I know you do Misty, I know it all too well.", he replied with a sigh as he took a seat himself.

Delia had invited Misty over as company, to go together to the meeting with the professor. In reality, the professor and Delia could use the extra security, as they knew what Misty was capable of. Misty had happily agreed; she didn't got to see Delia and the professor that much. She had brought a bag of herself along, filled with her standard weaponry she used on her own freelance missions, for the sake of feeling safe and protection of those she accompanied. While she would be away on her jobs and 'investigations' as she called them, her sisters stood in for her as Gym Leader. But as time passed, she became less and less of a Gym Leader, and now, she was it only by title, leaving the battling to her sisters. More and more she hunted down devils, to eventually find the ones responsible for her parents' death.

After what seemed to be an eternity, but in reality lasted only half an hour, Delia finally descended from the stairs in a gorgeous looking dark blue business suit.

"Sorry that it took so long. But now I'm ready, so shall we go?", she said, ignoring the stare she got from the professor. Oak snapped back to reality.

"Y-Yes, I think that would be good. Let's go then.", he said with a stutter, and the trio headed outside. While Misty loaded her bag in the car, Delia ushered Oak towards her as the watched her from the doorstep.

"Whatever happens, try not to bring up my son. And should it happen, you know what and what not to say.", she whispered. Oak nodded in agreement.

"She won't hear anything from me.", he replied as they headed for the car.

The Olivine Harbor was a busy place now that the weekend had started. Many people wanted to go places, and the ferries were crowded like sardines in a can. May and her friends waited for Ash to show up, but had gotten visibly annoyed at the ever growing line of people who wanted to board.

"I hope he gets here quick. The line is getting longer and longer every minute!", Dawn said with a frustrated sigh. May shrugged.

"He'll be here. I just hope he didn't ran into Drew.", she said.

"Speaking of the green-haired grease-ball, where is he? I haven't seen him yet. Normally he is sticking to us like honey.", Zoey said, as she looked around. True, Drew was nowhere in sight, which was rather strange.

"Who knows. Bah, who cares. I'm glad he isn't around.", May replied with annoyance. The trio continued to chat, until they heard Ash's bike approaching.

Ash steered his bike through the crowd of people while he headed towards the trio of girls who were waiting for him. He stopped in front of them, and turned off his bike. The three girls awed when they noticed his bike. Ash grinned widely.

"Seeing the looks on your faces, I take it you like my little darling here.", he said as he dismounted.

"I for one sure do. It's gorgeous!", Dawn squealed as she admired it. May and Zoey silently agreed.

"Well, we can stay here and admire her beauty, or we can get on the boat and be on our way.", Ash said with a grin. The girls snapped from their trances, and blushed in embarrassment as they led the way. As let out a hearty laugh as he followed.

The boat ride to Slateport City was uneventful. Ash was enjoying the smell of the sea on the deck by himself, when the girls went to get something to eat. Ash leaned on the railing, resting on his arms while he mused a bit about what happened during the past few days. He had met his 'target', and became good friends with her and her friends, and he met a person not unlike him. He grinned at the approaching fight which was undoubtedly going to transpire. He had no doubts that he would pin the guy to the nearest wall. So far, things were going smoothly.

"Hey Ash.", May's voice said from behind him. He wasn't startled, as he had felt her approach. He turned his head to her and noticed she was eating a sandwich.

"Hello May. Came to enjoy the view?", he greeted back with a smile, as he looked out at the sea again. She joined him at his side.

"You could say that. Here, something to eat.", she answered, as she handed him a sandwich.

"Thanks. Where are Dawn and Zoey?", he asked, as he took a bite.

"They went to their cabin for the moment. Said something about feeling a little sleepy…", she managed to say, before she hung her head. Ash swallowed the sandwich and gave her a small nudge.

"Hey May, look alive will ya?", he said. The only reply he got was May's sleeping body falling down, which he managed to catch.

"What the Hell?", he said to himself. He shook May gently as he held her.

"Hey May, wake up. I know the trip is boring, but not like this!", he said, trying to get her to wake up. He got no response, other then the rhythm of her snoring peacefully. He chuckled, and proceeded to pick her up gently.

"Figures. Talk about a heavy sleeper.", he said. He turned around, and stopped his pace. In front of him, he noticed several passengers asleep as well. Ash knew immediately what it meant. Something was really wrong here.

"Time to play conductor, and hold a ticket inspection. I bet someone hasn't paid for this trip.", he said to himself as he carried the sleeping girl to their cabin.

When he reached the cabin, he had noticed that he could be very well the only person left awake. In various corridors, decks and rooms, he noticed all the people and Pokémon asleep. He laid May gently on the bed, as the other two beds were taken by her friends, also asleep. After he made sure she was sleeping, he opened his case and took out his sword. He checked his handguns, and left the cabin. Outside, he focused his mind, and he knew where he had to look. He dashed off to the stairs, that would gain him access to the upper decks.

The upper deck was, like the other decks, littered with the sleeping forms of the passengers. Ash walked towards the front of the deck, when he heard strange sounds. It sounded like slurping and sucking something out of a can or bottle. He turned the corner and stopped immediately, because in front of him he had found the cause of the sounds, and quite possibly, the cause of the sleeping passengers.

The being in front of Ash was a sickly pink/purple color, and it stood on two long hind legs. In its two hands he held a female passenger, which it seemed to _kiss_. In reality, it was sucking whatever was in the passenger out of it, dropping the occasional splash of blood on the wooden deck. From its back, it sprouted several translucent tentacles, which helped holding the unfortunate victim in place. As Ash continued to watch, it sucked the entire passenger inside it's gaping maw, never to be seen again.

"Didn't your mother never teach you not to kiss on a first date?", Ash said, getting the attention of the monstrosity. It certainly wasn't a possessed Pokémon, that much was obvious. It slowly turned to him, revealing four iris-less eyes, which gazed down upon the devil hunter. It gave out a shriek, which sounded deafening, even in the open. Clearly, it was surprised to see someone standing in front of it who was awake.

"You know, I think you don't have a ticket. So I ask you kindly to leave.", Ash said, as he made a gesture with his hand that told it to leave. In response, it leaped into the air, and struck its four tentacles into the deck where Ash stood. Ash had jumped out of the way, and had drawn his guns, which he leveled on the demon.

"I was hoping you would do that.", he sneered. The creature let out another shriek, and it lunged for Ash again, its tentacles and claws flailing like mad.

Ash dodged the first attacks, and poured bullets into two of the tentacles, as he leaped into the air. The creature cried out in pain as the two appendages fell of his back on the deck, were they disintegrated. Ash landed with back facing the devil on the ground. The creature slashed his tentacles in his direction, only to cry out in pain even more as his remaining two tentacles fell down on the ground, cleanly cut off by the sword that Ash now held firmly in his hand. Ash looked the creature in the eyes, and smirked, his sword resting on his shoulder.

"Well then, are you ready for the big finale?", Ash said, and lunged forward towards the creature, impaling it with his sword on the wall, causing blood to splatter everywhere. Ash jumped back, and fired three shots as he did so, each of them blasting away an eye. The creature yelped and cried in pain, but it couldn't move. It didn't have enough strength to remove the sword that was lodged into its body, no matter how hard it tried. Ash walked closer towards it.

"Eeny, Meeny, Miney…", he said, as he aimed one of his guns at the only good eye the creature still had. Ash winked. "Moe.", he finished, and pulled the trigger.

The creature literally exploded into pieces, which disintegrated and disappeared from the deck. Ash holstered his guns and retrieved his sword.

"That should prove a good wake-up call.", he grinned. He rushed down the stairs in hopes of getting to the cabin. He would like to prevent that the girls saw him with a large sword and dual handguns. Fortunately for him luck was on his side. As he entered the cabin, the girls were still asleep on their beds. Ash quickly stored his gear and closed the box, when he heard the girls stirring, their awakening imminent.

"Time to wake up, sleepyheads.", Ash said, as Dawn opened her eyes. She was shortly followed by May and Zoey, who yawned and stretched.

"That was some nap. I don't know what came over me, but I felt so sleepy all of a sudden.", Dawn said. May and Zoey agreed with her.

"Well, school is boring. Maybe it took you a little longer to realize that.", Ash grinned. He continued to laugh as he dodged the pillows that were thrown at him.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, and it was before long that the harbor of Slateport came into view.

"Ash, a friend of mine is coming to pick us up. If you drive behind us, you won't get lost as we head towards my home.", May said as the ferry made its way into the harbor.

"Sure thing. I'll meet you all outside and then we'll head to your house.", Ash replied as he took his bag.

"I'll see you outside!", he added, and after a small wave, he disappeared below deck. May continued to look after him, which didn't went unnoticed by her friends.

"What is it May? See something you like?", Zoey teased. May snapped back to reality instantly.

"I have no idea what you are talking about.", she replied, but she failed to hide the faint blush that appeared on her cheeks. Dawn and Zoey giggled.

"Looks like someone has a thing for the new guy!", Dawn said in a singsong voice. May's blush deepened even more.

"Shut up you two!", she said, annoyed. Needless to say, this didn't work, as the girls continued to tease her.

As the ferry docked and the doors opened, Ash was among the first to drive off the boat. He waited for the others to appear, and when they did, he followed them to the parking lot. A large car was waiting for them, and a youngster in his late teens was leaning against it. He waved at them when he saw them approaching.

"Hey Brendan! Here we are!", May said, as she gave her friend a hug.

"I can see that. It's good to see you all! And who's your friend?", Brendan asked as he let go of May. Ash had gotten off of his bike and approached Brendan with an outstretched hand.

"I'm Ash. I've heard that you are our navigator for this trip.", he said. Brendan shook his hand with a genuine smile.

"That's right. Are you a new student?", he asked. Ash nodded and proceeded to explain why he was attending the same school as May.

"So, you're from Kanto? I've always wanted to visit that region.", Brendan said.

"Don't let me stop you. There are a lot of interesting places to visit.", Ash explained, as he proceeded to name a few landmarks. Brendan was visibly amazed by what Ash told him.

"Now I'm even more anxious to go!", he exclaimed. May playfully punched him on the shoulder.

"If you don't stop talking, we won't be getting anywhere.", she said. Brendan immediately remembered why he had come here in the first place.

"Alright Ash, just follow me and you won't get lost.", he said as he got in the car.

"Just lead the way! I'll keep up with you.", Ash said, as he got on his bike. A few moments later, they were on their way.

Ash managed to keep up with Brendan's car with no trouble at all. He followed his lead closely, and it seemed like only a few minutes had passed when they reached the outskirts of Petalburg City. As Brandon stopped in front of a large house, Ash pulled off a wheelie which earned him a few gasps from the girls. He dropped out of the wheelie and stopped in front of them.

"Sorry about that. Couldn't resist.", he said with a smile. The girls just laughed, albeit a little uneasy. After saying goodbye to Brendan who then drove off, they all went inside.

"Mom! I'm home!", May shouted when she placed her bag in the hallway. The others followed her inside, with Ash observing the house in detail. It looked huge from the outside, but from the inside it looked even larger.

"_They sure got the money to spend. Then again, I could have expected it. Norman is a Gym Leader after all."_, he thought as he placed his bags on the ground and hung his coat on the rack.

"Hello May! Welcome home!", a female voice said from the kitchen. May headed into the kitchen herself and pulled Caroline Maple, her mother, in a hug.

"It's good to be home, mom!", she said. "C'mon, I have a new guest with me that I want you to meet!", she added, as she practically dragged Caroline out of the kitchen.

"Slow down May!", she said in a playful scold as her daughter dragged her along. But when she saw Ash standing in the living room observing a few paintings, her voice left her for reasons unknown.

"Hello. My name is Ash Ketchum.", Ash said, as he walked up to the still surprised woman in the room. Caroline blinked a few times and snapped back to reality.

"H-hello Ash. My name is Caroline Maple, May's mother.", she said with a slight stutter, as she shook his hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Maple.", Ash said.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ash. And please, call me Caroline. Everyone does.", she said with a smile.

"But I have something to discuss with my daughter here.", she added, and before May could say anything, she was the one being dragged back into the kitchen.

"Mom, what's the big idea?", May asked, annoyed. Caroline had closed the door to the kitchen and stared her daughter down.

"Well, the big idea is that guy that you have brought home with you. Who is he, and why didn't you tell me he was coming?", she said sternly. May sighed, her mother was always like this when she brought a guy home. It took her mother months before she accepted Brendan. But luckily, May had an ace up her sleeve that she could use now.

"Mom, listen. You know that hothead Drew, right?", May asked. Caroline looked puzzled, what had that green-headed guy to do with all this?

"Yes, I know about him, and how 'highly' you speak of him. What about him?", she asked, still puzzled. May explained to her how Drew tried to intimidate Ash, but how it all backfired and left Drew's pride in a state of disarray. Caroline's mood visibly softened when May told her everything.

"I see. Well, that changes a whole lot. To be honest, I never really liked that Drew anyway, and it is good that someone stands up to him.", she said with a chuckle.

"So, that means that Ash is welcome to stay here for the weekend?". May asked, with hope in her eyes.

"Well, I have to think about that.", Caroline said, as she placed her finger under her chin in mock thought.

"Mom…", May whined, picking up on her mother's act.

"Alright, but only if you introduce him to your father, okay?", Caroline told her daughter.

"I will. Thanks mom, you're the best!", May said with a cheery voice, and hugged her mother tightly.

As May returned, she told her friends that she would go to introduce Ash to her father Norman, the Gym Leader of Petalburg.

"C'mon Ash. He is probably in the Gym with my brother.", she said, as she led the way.

"Sure thing. I would like to meet your father.", he said, as he followed May to the Gym. _"I would really like to meet your father."_, Ash added in his thoughts.

As they neared the Gym, they could hear a voice shouting something. "Seems dad is busy with a Gym battle.", May said. Ash merely gave a nod in response and followed her. As she entered the Gym with Ash, she saw the challenger leave as Norman recalled his Pokémon. From the looks of things, the challenger was beaten pretty badly.

"Hey dad! I'm home!", she said, getting the attention of her father.

Norman turned towards the duo and walked towards them, his arms spread. "May, welcome home!", he said, as he took her in a loving hug.

"Hello dad. It's good to be home. I already said hi to mom.", she said, as she returned the hug. Norman smiled and released her.

"That's nice, May. And who is your friend?", he asked, as he looked at Ash.

"Dad, meet Ash Ketchum from Kanto. Ash, this is my dad, Norman Maple.", May said, as the two males shook hands. Unbeknownst to May, they shared a knowing look.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Maple.", Ash said. Norman grinned widely.

"Norman will do just fine, Ash.", he said.

"Alright, whatever you say, Mr. Norman.", Ash said with a smirk. May could barely hold a laugh.

"You're a funny guy Ash. I like you already.", Norman said. Ash laughed.

"Well, I try.", he said as he scratched the back of his head, feigning embarrassment. Norman smiled back and turned to May.

"Honey, would you mind go inside and help your mother? I would like to talk to Ash in private.", he said. May gave a nod.

"Don't scare him too much dad! Bye Ash!", she said and with that she took off.

As soon as May was out of sight, Norman turned to Ash. "Let's take a walk Ash, and let's have a small talk.", he said, as he gestured Ash to follow him. Ash followed Norman outside in their large yard where they walked on a small path.

"How is it going at school?", Norman asked. Ash shrugged.

"Pretty good I'd say. May is getting a lot of attention though from some guy named Drew.", he replied.

Norman sighed deeply. "Yes, he's a real pain in the ass sometimes.", he said. Ash chuckled.

"Well, he won't be for a while now.", he said, and he explained to Norman what had transpired at the school. Norman's face showed a huge grin when he heard all of it.

"Seriously, you made him kiss his own table?", he said. Ash nodded.

"It's all in the footwork. You'd be surprised how many tricks one can do with only his feet.", he replied. They shared a laugh as they kept on walking.

"And is there anything else to add?", Norman inquired.

"Actually, yes there is. There is this guy in blue that seems to be after me, rather then May. I don't know what his deal is, but I will keep an eye out for him.", Ash explained. He looked at Norman with a gentle smile on his face. "I will make sure that nothing happens to your daughter, Norman. It is what I was sent to do, and I always do my job.", he added.

"I know that. Your mother speaks highly of you, as does Lance. You know of the meeting by any chance?", Norman said.

"Yes, I've heard it from my mother. Have you found anything else?", Ash replied. He was curious if there were any more leads to this cult. The more he knew, the sooner he could put an end to it. His face lightened up a bit when he saw Norman nod his head.

"I have found something very big. I've managed to get an inside informant.", he said with a little pride in his voice.

Ash listened intently on how Norman managed to get an informant in the cult he was investigating. It was a young man, around twenty years old, who had contacted Norman himself. He wanted to meet with Norman because he feared for his life and he didn't like the cult's methods of action. Norman had agreed, and he learned a great deal about the cult itself, and its mysterious leader, who called himself the 'Dice'.

"You must be a real loon if you call yourself the 'Dice'. Why would he pick such a name?", Ash asked with a chuckle.

"Well, apparently he uses a six-sided dice to make his decisions.", Norman replied with a shrug. Ash sighed.

"Great. I've got a cult to scratch and their leader is a complete idiot.", he said with a little disappointment.

"Don't be fooled by them, Ash. They are a dangerous bunch. And according to my informant, they are in Hoenn. He hasn't told me the exact place though, but that will come soon enough.", Norman replied with a warning tone.

"Don't worry, your daughter's safety comes first. And when everything is in place, you have one less pain in the ass to worry about.", Ash said. Norman nodded in understanding. He was glad he had someone as capable as Ash to protect his daughter. Together, they walked back to the house to enjoy a nice supper.

Miles away, back in Johto, Giovanni was looking with a twisted form of delight at the three hounds in front of him. The had been transferred to an even more secure location, which in reality was a large closed-off cage. The great beasts walked around, looking for a place to escape, trying every spot they thought was weak. Unfortunately for them, the cage was nearly indestructible. Giovanni couldn't help but smirk at the sight.

"It seems they are adapting well.", he said to the head scientist. The elder man gave a nod in agreement.

"Indeed sir. Although they are still rebellious, we have created a Master Ball for each of them. They cannot escape from those, and will follow every command they receive.", he said, as he showed one of the said Master Balls to his boss.

Giovanni smiled with satisfaction. Everything was going according to plan.

"Very good. I will take my leave now. Keep them in there until we need them.", he instructed, and after a final look, he left the laboratory, the three beasts growling and snarling in rage and fury.

Giovanni entered his office a little while later, and instructed his secretary that he wouldn't want to be disturbed, not for any reason. After he made sure the door to his office was closed, he headed to a small curtain that hung between two bookcases. As he gently opened the curtains, a small, round mirror was revealed, which was centered in the middle of a crude pentagram. He closed his eyes, and raised his hand. While he made a few small gestures, he spoke some words which were barely audible. But when he opened his eyes, something had appeared in the mirror.

Positioned in what seemed to be a perfect triangle, three glowing orbs shone their reddish light out of the mirror as they swirled around in place. Giovanni made a small bow when a heavy, deep and dark voice started to speak to him.

"Giovanni, my servant. I hope that everything is going according to plan?", it spoke. The voice was cold and deprived from any form of emotion.

"Yes, my master. Everything is going well. Your knowledge and my technology have give us the tools we need to achieve our goal.", Giovanni replied.

"Very good. I understand that you have managed to bond devils to your so-called legendary Pokémon. That is most impressive and it will greatly aid us in our quest.", the voice said. Giovanni gave a small smile.

"Indeed my lord. But there is one other thing that I must bring to your attention.", he said.

"You mean the son of the devil that sealed me away? I know of that already, my apprentice. I have thrown some devils in his path to test him, and the results are quite refreshing.", the voice replied.

"Forgive me, my lord. I have sent my own son to test his fighting abilities, by any means necessary.", Giovanni said, the last part of the sentence spoken with a little more emphasis.

"I see. That just might give him the push he needs. Continue to serve me well, and you will be greatly rewarded for your efforts.", the voice spoke, as the orbs started to fade away. Giovanni gave one last bow.

"As you wish, master Mundus."


	8. Chapter 7: Duel of the Devils

**Chapter 07: Duel of the Devils**

As the evening was starting to fall in Petalburg, Ash had introduced himself to May's little brother, Max. Everyone was in the living room, talking about different things, until Max asked Ash how Kanto was like. He had heard about the region, but had never actually set foot there. Norman had promised his family he would go there someday with them, but his work and the recent events had prevented that. So Max thought that this was the next best thing, by showering Ash with all kinds of questions regarding his home region. Max had asked a lot of questions already, but he wasn't quite finished yet. Fortunately for him, Ash had plenty of stories to tell.

"And what is the rarest Pokémon you have ever seen, Ash?", Max asked enthusiastically. May started to roll her eyes, as she was getting tired of her little brother's non-stop question assault. She wasn't the only one, as Dawn and Zoey were getting bored as well. Ash didn't seem to mind, as he answered the question like all the others.

"The most rarest Pokémon? That's a good one. I do remember seeing Moltres once, but the most rare Pokémon could be Ho-Oh.", he answered as he thought about it. The look of awe on the little boy's face told Ash that he had given a good answer.

"That's awesome! And…", Max started, but now he was cut off by May.

"Alright, that's enough for now. Let's talk about something else.", she said. Max huffed and glared at his sister.

"Like what? Girl-talk? Yeah, like that is going to be interesting to listen to.", he said as he crossed his arms in a defiant act. May glared equally hard back at Max.

"No, but I want you to give Ash a break. You have been asking questions non-stop for the last hour now. Don't you think he deserves a few moments of peace?", she said. Ash chuckled.

"True like siblings.", he said. When he said this, Dawn spoke up.

"Ash? Do you have any brothers or sisters?", she asked. She remembered that he never told them that. Ash shook his head.

"Nope, I'm single.", he said. It took a few moments before it dawned on the listeners, and laughter filled the room.

In another part of the city, under a small street lantern in front of one of the largest and tallest buildings in the city, two figures were talking to each other.

"So Drew, you know what you must do?", Paul asked, as he looked the green-haired student over. Drew gave a nod.

"Yeah. I must get May to take a walk with me, so that Ash will follow us. And then you will take care of it, correct?", Drew replied, as he recalled what was expected from him.

"Indeed. Just do that, and I will take care of the rest.", Paul replied with a smirk. Drew was too lost in his own thoughts to notice.

"I still don't like it that I have to act like a wimp and apologize. That isn't my style, you know.", Drew complained.

"Forget about your style and swallow your pride for a few moments. Do you want your precious May or do you want Ash to run away with her?", Paul asked with an annoyed tone. Drew instantly focused back on the task at hand when Paul mentioned May.

"Yes. Yes, I want her to be mine. Ash must pay.", he replied as he looked at Paul. He could see that Drew wasn't thinking straight anymore.

"Good, then do as I say and nothing will go wrong.", Paul said. Drew was getting on his nerves, but Paul needed him for this task.

"But what if Ash isn't around?", Drew asked suddenly. Paul smirked.

"Don't worry, he will be here soon enough. You know how fast he is, don't you?", he replied. Drew cast his eyes down and balled his fists. He definitely knew that. He looked up at Paul with a determined look on his face.

"You take care of Ash, and May will see what a fraud he is.", he said. Needless to say, Drew was so fixated on May that his rational thought was as good as gone. Paul placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"Everything will be just fine. Now, let's get to work.", he said, as he gently pushed him forward. A few moments later, the duo had vanished into the falling evening.

The ambience in May's home was great. Everybody was enjoying themselves. Even Norman and Caroline had joined them, while Max had gone upstairs to his room. Everyone was having a good time, until the doorbell rang. Norman stood up to answer the door.

"That must be my guests. I wish you all a pleasant evening. And Ash, it was good talking to you!", he said, aiming his last words at the Kanto native. Ash gave a small wave.

"The pleasure is all mine.", he said, and with that, Norman left the living room. As he opened the front door, he was greeted by a few familiar faces.

"Hello there, come in!", he said, as he let the five people inside.

"Hello Norman, it is good to see you.", Lance said, as he shook his hand. The others followed the example.

"Likewise, it is good to see you all. Now, my daughter has friends over, so I suggest we go to my office. Follow me.", Norman said, as he led the others to his private office next to the Gym. As they entered, he offered everyone a seat around a large table. "I have plenty of drinks and things to eat. If you need anything, just take it.", Norman said, as he sat down.

"Thank you for your hospitality. But I'm more anxious to know what you have found out.", Lance said, as he looked at the Gym Leader. The others were anxious to know as well.

"Ah yes. Well, I have found out a great deal about this cult. And that is all thanks to my informant.", he said. As soon as Norman mentioned that, a deathly silence befell the room for only a few moments.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Ash had told a few jokes and stories when he felt his stomach rumble. It was loud enough that everyone heard it.

"Someone is hungry.", Dawn said with a teasing tone in her voice. Ash laid back in the chair with a wide grin.

"Well, can't blame me for having a healthy appetite.", he replied. The girls snickered in response. May stood up.

"How about some pizza for all of us? I'll got get them!", she said. Ash shook his head.

"That won't be necessary. I'll go get them, so you can all stay here. It is the least I can do in return for inviting me over.", he said as he got up from his seat. May wanted to protest, but Ash smiled and looked at her in a way that showed that he had made up his mind and that any form of arguing was futile. In reality, he wanted to have May as safe as possible, and in this case, it was making her stay at home. May sighed in defeat, but allowed him to go anyway.

"Alright then. Here is the address.", she said as she handed him a small flyer. Ash looked it over for a few moments.

"Why don't we order them?", he asked. May shook her head.

"That place is the best spot in pizza-goodness, but they do not have the means to bring them. Crazy, I know, but that's the way it is I'm afraid.", she explained.

"Great, but then again, a bit of fresh air would do me good.", Ash said as he took everyone's order. May handed him some money.

"Then at least let me pay for them.", she said with a pleading look. Ash looked her over and smiled.

"Well, if you insist.", he said as he took the money. May gave a smile.

"It isn't too hard to find. Go out our street, then take a left and after a few minutes you will practically walk right in it.", she explained as she showed him the door. Ash took his coat and walked outside. He gave a small wave and was on his way.

"You have managed to get an informant? How did you accomplish this?", Lance asked. The others were equally intrigued by this fact. First Norman received death threats, and now he gets an informant within the cult? Norman gave a faint smile.

"Well, in reality, I was approached by a member myself. He risked his own life to tell me vital information about the cult he was a member of.", Norman explained. Misty let out a snort.

"Must have gotten cold feet then.", she said. The contempt in her voice was thick and noticeable.

"You could say that. He didn't agree with the methods and actions that the cult uses. He wanted out, but apparently, once you're in, you will only go out one way.", Norman said. He didn't have to explain what the 'way out' was, as the looks on the faces of his listeners showed that they knew. "He managed to meet me, only for a short time. But during this time, he told me a whole lot about this cult, and who their leader is.", Norman continued, as he took a folder with numerous files. He opened it and placed the contents on the table for all to see.

When Ash had left, May had returned to the living room and was greeted by two smirking faces. Her mother had returned to the kitchen to make some drinks, and would then go to bed, leaving the girls and Ash alone. May didn't say anything and took her place on the couch. Dawn and Zoey continued to look at her, the smirks still on their faces.

"What is wrong with you two?", she said annoyed. This caused the two girls to have a fit of giggles.

"Oh c'mon May, it is obvious you like Ash, or am I wrong?", Dawn said teasingly.

"You're wrong!", May immediately countered, but the faint streaks of crimson on her face didn't go unnoticed by her two friends.

"Deny all you want May, but we have seen how you act around him, and him being here is only making this better for you!", Zoey squealed.

May's cheeks turned even redder and she hung her head. "Well, that's… because…", she stuttered, but she could form any more words in her mouth. She let out a sigh. "Maybe… I like him…", she muttered quietly, but her unfortunately for her, her words were heard by her friends. Needless to say, the squealing of her friends intensified even more. They wanted to bombard her with questions, when the doorbell rang for the second time that evening.

"_Saved by the bell."_, May thought as she looked at her watch. "It can't be Ash, he isn't gone that long.", she said as she stood up and headed for the door.

"Don't think you're getting off that easily May!", Zoey shouted from the living room. May rolled her eyes while she opened the door, only to be greeted by a person she would never have expected to see.

"Good evening, May.", Drew said. May wanted to scold him, but then she looked at his face. The look on Drew's facial features hinted at something, something she had never seen before. It looked like… honesty and regret. She swallowed before she said anything.

"Hello Drew. What are you doing here?", she asked, a little on guard. Drew let out a small sigh.

"Look, I know I have been a jerk in the past. But I want to talk to you. Do you want to go for a walk with me?", he asked. May scanned his face. He sounded so sincere, but was he? May always believed in the good of people, and Drew was no different, despite the fact that he acted like a total asshole most of the time.

"Why? Want do you want to talk about?", she asked, as she relaxed herself a little, although she was still on guard.

"I will explain everything if you would take a small walk with me. Just the two of us, to set things straight.", he replied, shifting a little. May noticed he was getting a little nervous. She made up her mind.

"Wait here for a moment. Let me get my coat.".

In Norman's office, the contents of the folder were studied intently. Delia and Misty looked at a few pictures, while Lance and the professors studied the files that described various details of the cult.

"It says here that the leader is named 'the Dice'. Any idea why he is called like that?", professor Oak asked.

"Well, apparently he uses a six-sided dice to determine his actions and plans. But according to my informant, he always gets it right. Whatever number he uses to decide, it always comes up.", Norman explained. Professor Elm frowned.

"Devil work perhaps?", he asked, as he scanned at the files. Norman shrugged.

"That would be my guess. It seems the most probable to me.", he said. Delia and Misty looked at a picture while the others were talking. It showed a middle-aged man with blonde hair, green eyes and a white business suit. But the look on his face was what caught their attention the most. It showed a sadistic and malevolent expression. She showed the picture to the others.

"Any chance that this could be him?", she asked. Norman nodded.

"That's him. He rules with fear and intimidation, aside from his dice. He isn't afraid to kill his own subordinates. I've heard that he killed three just because they were late for a meeting. He's both sadistic and charismatic. Apparently, you cannot oppose his will. Once you're in, it is near impossible to get out.", he explained. Delia and Misty looked at the picture again. How could such a man be so cruel and evil? It was clear that they had a lot of work to do to stop this insane man and his cult, before something serious could happen.

Ash had made his way back to May's house with four pizza boxes, filled with their pleasantly smelling contents. He held the boxes in one hand as he rang the doorbell with his free one. The door opened, but it wasn't May who he had expected. Instead, he stared into the worried face of Dawn. Ash sensed that something was wrong and quickly got inside, setting the pizza's on a table.

"Hey girls, why the worried faces?", he asked.

"You won't believe what just happened. Heck, not even we believe it.", Dawn started to explain.

"Tell me what has happened.", Ash said. He was starting to have a bad feeling about this, and when they explained how Drew showed up and took May for a walk, the alarm bells in his head went on high alert. Deep inside he knew something was up, and he knew that time was short.

"Please Ash. Would you go out and look for her? We watched them go in the direction of the tech building, the largest building here in the city.", Dawn almost begged. Ash could hear in her voice that she was worried, as was Zoey. Ash stood up with a determined look on his face, ready to do his job.

"Don't worry. I'll go look for them. And I will kick Drew's ass as soon as I find him doing something inappropriate.", he said with a gentle smile. He turned towards the hallway. "You two go inform Caroline on this.", he added, and the two girls quickly got upstairs. Ash knew he had no choice now but to take his weapons with him. But silently he hoped that he would run into the mysterious youth again. Wasting no more time, he placed his sword on his back, holstered his guns and left to find May and Drew.

The two people who were the cause of the talk were walking down the street. May had looked Drew over once again, and he looked even more nervous then before. And despite the fact that he wanted to talk, he hadn't said a word during their walk. May decided to take the initiative.

"Drew, you said you wanted to talk. So why haven't you said anything?", she asked. Drew blinked for a moment and took a deep breath before he answered.

"I want to apologize. For my behavior. For everything. Everything I have ever done to you.", he said. May's eyes opened wide. Was she hearing this right? Drew, the snob, was actually apologizing? Apologizing to her? She couldn't believe her ears.

"Drew… what is with you all of a sudden? I have never heard you talk like that before.", she said, still a little surprised by his sudden apology. Drew once again took a deep breath, and stopped suddenly. They stood in front of a small park, which lay next to a large and tall building. His breathing had become quicker, and uneven.

"Drew, what is the matter? Are you okay?", she said. Drew or not, she was getting worried now. He was very nervous, and when he turned entirely to face her, she noticed the drops of sweat on his forehead.

"Drew… you're sweating. Are you feeling alright?", May asked again. Drew opened his mouth, but he never got the chance to reply. He was impaled by a large metallic object from behind. Drew's eyes widened for a moment, as blood started to drip from the corners of his mouth. His mouth widened as if he wanted to say something.

"M…May… Forgive me…", he gurgled as the sharp object was retracted in an instant and May was grabbed from behind by a powerful grip. The only thing she saw was a blue blur and now she was being held by a blue-sleeved arm who covered her mouth to suppress her attempts to scream and breathe. She felt herself forcefully being dragged away, but the last thing she saw was Drew's body falling on the ground before she lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen.

Paul held the limp body of the girl in his arm as he approached a person who was waiting for him on the sidewalk.

"You know, you could have taken care of this a little bit more…discreet.", the man said in a silky voice. Paul shrugged as he pushed May into his arms.

"If you don't like it, then do it yourself next time, Dice.", he replied. Dice let out a snort.

"My my, what attitude. And that's why I enjoy seeing you work. It is so… artistic!", he said with a squealing voice. Paul rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. Get out of here, as he will be here soon. I'll see you later once I've dealt with this.", he said. Dice winked.

"Sure thing. I would hate to get in the way of your fun, especially now that I have my own.", he said, his voice filled with a lustful undertone. He turned around and walked away, disappearing into the darkness. Paul looked around a bit and smiled.

"I'll see you soon, Ash. Don't make me wait.", he said, and with that he turned around and headed towards the building. Faintly, he heard a swooshing sound coming from the park before silence once again returned.

As Ash was running down the street, he felt the strange presence again, aside from the raindrops that had started to fall. He couldn't help but smirk and quickened his pace even more, only to come to a screeching halt seconds later when he saw what lay before him. On the ground, lying in a pool of blood, was Drew. He had his eyes wide open, and his breath was rugged and uneven. His hand was clutching a spot on his chest. Ash gently kneeled beside him, leaning on one of his knees to get a better look. It was at this moment that Drew seemingly noticed his presence, and slowly turned to face him.

"Damn, what trouble have gotten yourself into?", Ash asked, as he used two fingers to remove Drew's hand from the wound. Drew gasped for breath as he tried to answer, but failed to do so. "Drew, focus for a moment. Where is May?", Ash asked. Drew pointed towards the building with a shaky finger. Ash followed his gaze and as he looked up he noticed someone standing on the top of it. Ash knew instantly who it was, and he already had an idea of what had transpired.

"F…forgive… m…e…", Drew gurgled, bringing Ash's attention back to him. Ash gave a warm smile.

"Don't worry. I will take care of this.", he said. Drew smiled back as his face showed a peaceful expression, as his breathing got slower, and ultimately stopped. Ash gently closed Drew's eyes and stood up, the rain coming down harder now.

"Rest in peace.", he said, and with a strong look of determination, he headed towards the building. From where he was, he could feel his adversary looking at him.

It took Ash little effort to scale the side of the building, as he simply ran up the side of it with the occasional jump. He took a final leap and landed on the roof of the building, and saw Paul looking at him with an satisfied grin. Ash took a few steps to face him, and looked at him with a wide grin of his own.

"So, you have come at last. You took your time getting here.", Paul said, as he eyed Ash, ready for any suspicious movement. Ash simply shrugged.

"Well, I ran into someone below, who wasn't exactly in the best of shape.", he replied. Paul let out an evil chuckle.

"Ah yes, Drew. He was so easily manipulated. I used his anger of you to lure you here. But then, his usefulness had ended, as I had gotten what I wanted.", he explained. Ash shook his head.

"And that's why you killed him? Sure, I didn't like the guy either, but I wouldn't go as far to kill him.", he said. Paul snickered.

"I would, and I did. Just like I am going to end yours.", he said, as he slowly unsheathed his katana. Ash smiled and reached just as slowly for his sword on his back. In addition to the rain, the faint roar of thunder could be heard in the distance. The two eyed each other warily, as they started to circle around one another.

"Where is the girl?", Ash asked. Paul smiled evilly.

"Wouldn't you like to know.", he replied. Ash was getting enough of this.

"Let me say this. You tell me where she is, and I won't carve you up and perforate you and string you up as a wall decoration.", he said as he stopped. He held his hand on the hilt of his sword as he kept it on his back.

"Big words. I hope for you that you can back them up.", Paul snorted as he stopped as well. He held his katana firmly, with the tip facing the ground. Both of them glared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move as they ignored the rain which was getting heavier, accompanied by the occasional flash of lightning that lit up the sky. In the distance, they heard the clock tower strike its time. And that was the sign that the two lunged at each other with a deafening battle cry.

Both of the half-devils lunged forward, their swords pointing ahead of them, only to have them clang together at the tip as the thunder roared. Both Ash and Paul applied pressure to their attack, hoping to gain an advantage over the other. But neither budged under the attack of the other. Ash smiled with delight, as he was clearly starting to enjoy this.

"You surprise me that you can handle that sword." , he said. Paul matched his grin.

"I can do many things that you don't even know.", he replied. Ash's smile widened.

"Can you do THIS?", he shouted, as he flipped his sword a bit, which made Paul lose his balance, as the tips of the blades disconnected. Ash quickly repositioned himself and slashed his sword upwards in an attempt to slice Paul in half with such force that the building itself could end up in parts.

Paul however, parried the strike, but the shockwave of the attack was strong enough to propel him backwards through the air. Ash quickly drew one of his handguns and fired wildly at his falling adversary, while he let his blade rest on his shoulder. But even in midair, Paul knew how to react. He held his sword out in front of him horizontally, and spun it around so fast it became a blur, a deadly spinning ventilator that stopped Ash's bullets from reaching him. The soft clinging sounds of the bullets hitting the blade was the only thing that was heard.

As Paul landed, Ash stopped shooting and smirked. Paul smirked as well, as he had stopped spinning the blade. He held it on its side, showing every single bullet Ash had fired placed neatly on it. Ash twirled his gun before he holstered it, as Paul threw the bullets in the air, and in a single movement, slashed them towards Ash. His sword at the ready, Ash sliced horizontally once, striking every single bullet by cutting them in half. Still in his position, he lunged shoulder-first into Paul, who held his katana at the ready.

The moment Ash would bash with his shoulder into Paul, his adversary turned away and dodged the attack. He spun around and struck Ash with the hilt of his sword, making Ash loose his balance. As soon as he regained it, he deflected the strike that Paul had made, after he jumped into the air to slash Ash across his back. Ash swung his sword in fast movements, as Paul deflected and parried every single strike. The battle was getting more and more intense, as the swords carved deadly circles in the air, cutting various raindrops apart. It ended in a blade lock, as the swords where crossed, while both fighters attempted to overpower the other. Ash kicked his feet up, but Paul blocked it with his knee, using the momentum to jump away from Ash. Both of them stood still, with their weapons ready to strike again. The rain around them fell harder, as the lightning became more and more intense.

"You seem to be able to handle a sword as well.", Paul said with a sneer. His bodily features seemed to relax, but he held a firm grip on his weapon.

"I could say the same about you. It seems you're more then just a loudmouth.", Ash replied in his usual cocky manner. He held his sword in front of him, letting it rest on the ground by its tip. Paul shook his head.

"You do realize that until this point, I only have been toying with you, right?", Paul said as he looked Ash straight in the eye. Ash cocked his head to the side, his confident smile still on his face.

"Well then, shall we get right to the point? Besides, I have a girl to find. I hate to keep people waiting you know.", he said, as he swung his sword to let it rest on his shoulder.

"You have no idea what you're really up against, do you?", Paul said as he sheathed his katana. Ash eyed him warily. He had no idea on what Paul could be planning.

"I suggest quit talking big, and start backing up those words.", he replied, as he readied his sword. He didn't care that Paul had put his weapon away; Ash was determined to show Paul what he was made of. That was why it was all the more surprising that he saw Paul smile. But not a normal smile. A wicked smile. Ash tensed a little bit, and prepared himself for what would come next.

"If you insist. But this will be the last thing you ever get to see.", Paul replied, and turned to face Ash fully. He held his arms a little from his body, as he tensed up, allowing a small swirl of the water caused by the rain to appear around his feet. A faint glow surrounded Paul's body, and it seemingly erupted in a flash of light, which caused Ash to shield his eyes. When the flash died down, Ash finally saw what Paul had meant, and he was surprised.

Paul's body had changed. It was scalier, thinner, and looked more agile. His face had changed into the grinning head of a devil, with his teeth transformed into fangs and red eyes that leered at Ash, ready to pounce. A set of claws on both his hands and feet and his coat as a pair of look-alike wings draping behind him made the change complete. Ash smiled as he looked at the new form that Paul had taken.

"So, this is your big trump card? I've slain many like you.", he said, as he readied himself for the next attack. Paul let out a growling chuckle before he replied, his voice changed into a low, snarling tone.

"You have seen nothing yet. Allow me to demonstrate!", he exclaimed, and before Ash could act, Paul was already in his face. Ash hadn't seen him move. And Ash also hadn't seen Paul's sword, which was now firmly planted through his abdomen, the end of the blade coming out through his back. The drops of blood that fell down from the wound mixed with the rain as they fell on the ground.

For a moment, time seemed to have stopped. Only the slow breathing of Ash and Paul changing back to his normal state disputed that. Ash's grip on his own sword loosened, and it fell from his hand. It would have fallen on the ground, if Paul hadn't caught it. Ash stared straight into Paul's face, with blood starting to drip from the corner of his mouth. Paul simply smiled back. He leaned closer to Ash's face.

"Just as I expected. You weren't even a challenge. How ironic that the legendary devil hunter has been defeated by the very kind he hunts.", he whispered. Ash didn't respond; his mind was still reeling from the fact that he had been defeated so easily. He didn't even gasp or scream when Paul forcefully tore his sword out of his body. Ash was only in balance for a short while, when a powerful force slammed him into a wall. He barely recovered from the attack, as he saw something glimmer in the lightning.

It took one second to realize it was his own sword.

And it took half a second to realize it had impaled him through the chest, pinning him at the wall.

Paul had sheathed his katana, and took a few steps towards Ash, whose arms now hanged limply next to his body. His head hung as well, his eyes still opened wide in apparent shock. Blood leaked down from behind his back, as it formed a puddle on the ground.

"Pathetic.", was all that Paul said, before he turned around, leaving Ash to his predicament.

As Ash felt his life lessening by the second, he tried to free himself by grasping the sword. But it was in vain. He couldn't find the strength to move even his arms, much less remove himself from his sword. And just as he felt the final ounces of his life force fading away, he felt something. And before Ash could act, it made its way through his body.

Paul had taken a few steps, when he sensed something behind him. As he looked over his shoulder, he had barely enough time to dodge Ash's sword which flew past him, and imbedded itself in an opposing wall. Paul quickly turned around, only to be greeted with a gloved fist that struck him straight in the face. Paul had lost consciousness before he realized what happened.

Ash lowered his fist, as he saw Paul _flying_ from the roof towards the woods at the edge of the city. His breathing was heavy, his entire body trembled and his eyes were unfocused. He looked at his arms and body as a similar glow that Paul showed started to engulf him. He balled his fists as he lowered his head, and in a blast of energy, Ash cried out towards the thunderous sky. His body had changed, taking on a similar form as Paul had, only instead of blue, Ash's body was red. He continued to cry out, until suddenly the light vanished, and Ash changed back to his human state. With his head still held high, his legs gave way beneath him. The last thing Ash vaguely remembered was the lightning in the sky, before he fell face-first on the ground, unconscious.

As soon as Ash had left the Maple residence, the two girls had rushed upstairs to wake Caroline. They told her everything that had transpired. Caroline immediately dressed herself and walked with the girls downstairs. She didn't like it one bit, and she had to inform her husband of this change of events. She knocked on the door of his office, with the two worried girls behind her. Norman and the others were quite surprised to see the trio standing in the doorway, but nevertheless greeted them.

"Caroline, what's wrong?", Norman asked. The worried and frightened look on Caroline's face told him something wasn't right. He got up from his seat and headed outside of his office.

"It's May Norman. Drew came to our house and asked her out for a walk. Ash went after them, fearing that something could be wrong.", Caroline explained.

"Ash told us to wake up Caroline as he went to look for them.", Dawn and Zoey added. They were worried and frightened as well as Caroline. Norman knew that Ash was capable of everything. He gently placed a hand on Caroline's shoulder.

"Everything will be alright. I know it will be. Come inside for a moment to meet my guests, and then go back to sleep. May is a strong girl, and what I have seen from Ash, is that he will make sure nothing happens to her.", he said, as he led the trio inside. Caroline was only partially convinced, but she believed her husband.

"I'm just worried Norman, that's all.", she said as she took a seat. Dawn and Zoey sat beside her. Introductions were made all around. Norman walked up to Misty and gestured her to follow him. When they were out of hearing range, he turned to her.

"Misty, I know your reputation as a devil hunter, but what I am asking of you now is something different. May has gone out with someone, and a friend of hers is after them. I know it may sound strange, but could you go and find them?", he asked in a whisper. Misty gave a nod in agreement.

"No problem. I'll bring your daughter and her friend back safe and sound. I'll go get my equipment and then I'm off.", she said. After getting some last information from Norman, she picked her bag and left the room, not bothering to say goodbye to the rest. She left that pleasure to Norman.

"Where is she going?", Lance asked.

"She's going out.", he said. Lance gave a nod and fidgeted around with his watch a little. In the distance, they could hear faintly the door close, announcing Misty's departing from the house. Norman sat down and looked around the table.

"I think it is time to close our meeting.", he said. Everybody but Lance nodded. The League member stood up and looked at Norman.

"I think there is more to discuss.", he said. Norman looked at him with a strange look.

"Really Lance? What more is there to talk about then?", he asked, confused. The others at the table were equally confused on what he could mean.

They would find out soon enough, as suddenly the windows shattered simultaneously, allowing several armed people to enter the office. They all raised their weapons at the surprised people. Their intentions were clear, even more so by the barrels aimed at their targets. Norman looked around frightfully and rushed over to his wife and the two girls, who huddled together in fright.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are you?", Norman demanded as he comforted his wife. The answer he received was given by one he least expected.

"They are with me.", Lance said. Norman whipped his head to face him. He wanted to say something but Lance made a gesture with his hand to keep quiet.

"Like I said, we have more to discuss. And everybody here goes with us.", Lance added. Norman shot him a look of pure hatred.

"Lance, what is the meaning of this?", he said through gritted teeth. Lance let out a small chuckle.

"You will learn that soon enough. But it just might be the last thing you will ever learn.", he replied, and watched with a smirk as the invading force rounded up the surprised guests. Everything was going according to plan. A demonic plan, to say the least.


	9. Chapter 8: Answers of Betrayal

**Chapter 08: Answers of Betrayal**

On top of the giant building, Ash's body stirred as its life seemingly returned. Ash opened his eyes, and was greeted by his reflection that stared back at him from a small puddle of rainwater. He pushed himself up from the ground with a grunt, and stretched himself out.

"_What the Hell just happened?"_, he thought, as he examined his body for any wounds. To his surprise and relief, there were no signs of his sword running him through. Whatever the seriousness of the wound was, it was now gone and it had completely healed.

"_Speaking of my darling, where is she?"_, he thought, as he scanned the rooftop for his sword. A glimmering object in the distance, illuminated by the lightning that flashed over his head, betrayed its location. He headed for his sword and pulled it from the wall. He placed it on his back and looked around again.

"Guess I punched him too hard.", he said to himself. He remembered what happened to him: the fight, the stabbing, the seemingly end of his life, and the event that he could not really place. Whatever happened to him, it saved his life. He looked at his hands, before looking at the wall that his sword impaled. He raised one of his hands, balled it into a fist, and punched through the wall. But Ash never expected to see the wall being ripped from the ground, and launched off of the roof. Ash looked surprised for a moment, and then his face turned into pleased expression. He checked his weapons before rolling his shoulders as he headed to the edge of the roof.

As soon as Misty was given her task by Norman, she had suited up by taking a respectable arsenal of weaponry with her. Several guns, shotguns and rifles were strapped to her body and within hands reach. As soon as she was ready, she had bolted out the door and headed into the direction Norman told her May was going. She had run for a few minutes until she was met by a grisly sight.

"Oh damn…", she whispered as she kneeled beside the unmoving body. A large pool of blood had formed under it, and she could easily see it was a young teenager. What intrigued her the most was that the expression on his face seemed… peaceful. She gently examined the wound.

"He isn't dead very long. Probably stabbed by a sword or some similar sharp object.", she mused to herself. She sighed as she got up. She had a job to do, and no matter how harsh it seemed, she had to leave the body behind. She gave it one final glance before she continued her walk towards the large building ahead of her.

She stopped in front of it, not sure which path she had to take next. It was obvious to her that May was abducted. Misty let out a sigh.

"Great, I'm a devil hunter, not a frickin' detective.", she growled. She turned around and started to head away from the building, when she suddenly stopped. She heard something behind her, but she couldn't place what it was. It almost sounded like something was falling from a great height. Instinctively, she drew two of her guns and whipped around, ready to face whatever it was that was coming. She glimpsed something red that crashed into the ground, when the resulting shockwave made her fall.

Ash stood up from the ground, as he surveyed the area around him. As he cracked his neck, he stepped out of the small crater he had created, and walked away from the building and the surprised girl who had gotten up, which he seemingly had failed to notice. A shout from behind him made sure he would notice her now. As he stopped and looked over his shoulder, he noticed Misty pointing two guns at him.

"You know, you shouldn't be pointing those at other people.", Ash said before he took a few steps further. The blast of a gunshot, followed by a bullet flying past his ear made him stop. He turned around slowly, grinning at Misty who had both guns aimed still at him, with one having a smoking barrel.

"Well, isn't this a surprise.", Ash smiled, as he faced Misty completely now. Misty glared at him in return, her guns trained on him and in a firm grip.

"I can tell you're not human. Tell me who you are before I shoot at you again, and I assure you I won't deliberately miss this time.", Misty replied, her face hardening as she kept her eyes on him.

"It's quite rude not to introduce yourself first, you know.", Ash replied with a small smile. Misty growled before she fired another shot. But this time, Ash drew one of his guns and fired back, causing both bullets to collide in midair. Misty's eyes widened for only a moment while Ash kept his seemingly confident smile, before she fired both of her guns several times, only for Ash to retaliate by drawing his second gun and repeating the action he just did moments ago. The deflected bullets fell harmlessly on the ground as the gunfire ceased.

"Look, we can stay here and shoot at each other until Judgment Day, or we can try talk to each other as civilized people.", Ash said, as he lowered his guns. Misty did the same, although her glare never left her face as she kept looking at him.

"Just who the Hell are you?", she asked. Ash made a tsk-tsk motion with his gun.

"What did I say just a moment ago? Geez, and they tell me that I don't have any manners.", he said with a grin on his face. He enjoyed ticking her off for some reason. Misty however was getting fed up with him, but she realized that she wouldn't get anywhere if they kept this up.

"My name is of no importance to you.", she finally said. Ash let out a laugh.

"Ha! And normally I introduce myself when I start shooting people. Well, it has been fun, but I have some better things to do. You know, business beckons and all that. So I'll leave you for now, because I know we will see each other again some time. And until that time, I bid you adieu.", he said, and with a small bow, he turned around to leave, holstering his guns as he did so.

"Hey you! I wasn't finished with you!", Misty shouted as she looked at his retreating form.

"I believe we were. So unless you have something important to say, I'll be going. Busy night you see, as I just told you.", he said over his shoulder as he walked on. Misty holstered her guns and ran after him. As soon as she reached him she stopped in front of him and looked him straight in the eye.

"I just ran into a corpse. And I'm positively sure that you had something to do with that!", she exclaimed as she pushed the barrel of one of her guns into his chest. Ash moved the gun away with his finger slowly while he stared her down.

"So what if I did? I ran into that guy myself not too long ago. And now I'm looking for the one he was with. Not that it is any of your business anyway.", he replied. There was a slight tone of annoyance in his voice which barely went unnoticed. Misty sighed as she lowered her gun to the side of her body. Ash eyed her curiously.

"Nothing else to add? Well then, that's a switch. I'll just be on my way, for the umpteenth time this evening. I have someone to find, so if you'll excuse me.", he said, as he walked around her. Misty's brain however, was racing. She thought of something, and turned towards Ash, who was walking away from her.

"Is this person you're looking for a girl?", she yelled. Ash immediately stopped in his tracks, but he didn't turn around to face her. Misty couldn't help but smirk.

"And what if I am? Do you know where she is?", Ash asked, with his back still facing Misty. She walked up to him and stood before him again, looking at him with a devious smile on her face.

"No, I do not. But I bet you don't know either.", she said. Ash knew she had a point, but his keener senses at least pointed him in the right direction.

"What is your business with her anyway?", he asked. Misty's smile disappeared, but she still looked Ash straight in the eye.

"I made a promise to myself that I would find her. Out of respect for one of the people I know.", she said, her voice dead serious. Ash smiled.

"You know, I made the same 'promise'. But to me, it was more of a job. But it has become much more complicated in the past few days. And now she is gone, and I'm going to find her.", he said. Misty had to smile at this. She was positive this guy was a demon or devil, but for some reason he was much more human than any other devil she had ever encountered. She was still on her guard, and she wouldn't waste a moment to put him down with a bullet in the head. But for this moment, she held out her hand. Ash looked at her puzzled before his eyes lit up.

"You're going to introduce yourself?", he said with a smirk. Misty smirked back at him.

"No, but I'm offering my help.", she replied. Ash thought it over. True, he knew where he had to look and in which direction, and he never needed any help. But she could be a good distraction when the opportunity would present itself.

"Before we're going, I do want to know your name.", he said smiling.

"You can call me whatever you want, I don't care.", Misty replied. Ash smirked as he grabbed her hand.

"Then let's get going, Red."

Lance had ordered his men to bind all of the guests in Norman's office. They all had their hands tied together and had a bag placed over their head.

"We don't want to ruin the surprise just yet.", Lance chuckled as the captors pushed their prisoners outside. There were two black vans parked outside, and the group was split in two. Caroline and the girls were pushed into one van, while Delia, the professors and Norman were placed in the other. Lance took a seat in the van that contained Norman. "I advise you to remain calm. You do that, the sooner this will be over.", Lance said. Norman growled a response but Lance backhanded him across the face before he got in. "Drive.", was all he said.

The girls all huddled around Caroline, too scared to do anything. Caroline, as any good wife, tried to comfort them as best as she could. She told them it would be okay, but deep inside she knew she was telling a lie. And she was certain the children knew this too. All they could do was wait and see what would happen as the van carried them to an unknown location in the night.

Delia tried to get her bearings, but in total darkness, it was a hard thing to do. She was worried about the children, but she was more worried about May. She knew Ash was going for it to save her, and with Misty on it as well she knew that she shouldn't be worrying. But she did anyway, as she had no idea what the night would bring. She thought about her son, and felt a small tinge of hope in her soul.

Yes, her son would come to their aid.

And he would send them all to Hell.

As soon as Max heard the cars leave, he came from his hiding spot. He was visibly shaking and thought back at the moment when he heard the people crash into the house. As he sat down on his bed, he silently cried for his parents and sister. Only when he heard a knock on the door, and the sound of Ash's voice an hour later, he found the courage to get up and rush down to greet him.

"Max, thank God that you're alright.", Ash said as he quickly checked Max for injuries. Max couldn't hold back his tears anymore and latched himself to Ash in a tight hug. Ash held him with one hand while he looked at a smirking Misty, and mouthed "Not a word" before he turned his attention to Max again.

"Max, it is okay. Tell us what happened.", Ash said as he placed Max down on the floor. Max wiped the tears from his eyes and started to tell the duo what had transpired. The more Max told them, the more Ash's anger rose. When Max finished, he punched a wall out of sheer anger. When he saw the dent in the wall, as well as the scared look in Max' eyes, he regretted his action, but just a bit.

"Sorry 'bout that.", he said. He turned to Misty. "We can't leave him here, and we can't take him with us.", he added with a small smirk. Misty immediately picked up on what Ash was getting at.

"No way. No. Frickin'. Way! I am not going to baby-sit this kid!", she exclaimed. Max was clearly offended when he heard this woman call him a kid.

"Hey you! I can take care of myself! You say that it isn't safe here, but there are plenty of places here in this house that even my dad doesn't know about!", he responded as he folded his arms. Ash smirked at his response, while Misty was surprised at his outburst.

"Alright Max, you stay here and we'll make sure everybody comes back, safe and sound.", he said as he extended his hand. "You've got my word on that."

Max smiled and shook his hand, and after a little more talk as well as making sure that Max would be safe, the duo headed outside to Ash's bike. Ash found his beauty still in one piece. After a quick checkup, he started its engine. He looked at Misty, who was checking her own guns.

"Alright Red, time's a wastin', so lets go!", he said as he gestured to the passenger seat. Misty let out a sigh and sat down. She had barely enough time to grab onto Ash as he suddenly revved up the bike and sped off, into the dark night.

In a part of the forest that surrounded Petalburg City, the quietness was shattered when something crashed through a tree and landed on the forest ground with a hard crash. The shape moved, and after a few shakes of the head it got up and wiped something from its chin.

"Damn it, I didn't expect that this would happen.", Paul mused to himself as he dusted himself off. He was certain that he was the only one that had that ability, the ability to temporary transform into a devil. But it seemed that Ash had this power now as well.

"Something is wrong with this picture. I'll have to talk about this with father when I get back.", he said in an angry whisper to himself. As he turned around and walked away, he rubbed his jawbone.

"For all that it's worth, he sure has one hell of a right hook.", he muttered as he disappeared into the darkness of the nightly forest. He remembered he had something to give to the Dice. Now was the time to do so.

The sound of a violin that was played slowly brought May back from her slumber. Her senses were even more enticed when she smelled the delicious odor of a recently prepared meal. She slowly opened her eyes, and noticed she was lying on a sofa, coated with what seemed expensive and soft material. She sat up straight and rubbed her eyes, at which point the violin music stopped.

"I see that my guest has awakened.", a voice said. May turned towards the direction of the sound and noticed a slender man in a white suit putting a violin back in its box. His blonde hair was spiky and stood straight up, and when he turned around, May had to try hard not to look too deeply into his emerald eyes. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and she pushed herself into the sofa. When he noticed this, the man let out a soft chuckle.

"Do not worry my dear. You are in no danger.", he said as he looked at her. "Well, at least not yet.", he added with a grin that hinted at its maliciousness.

"What do you mean by that? Where am I and where is Drew?", May asked, as she found the courage to speak. She didn't trust him, and she knew in her gut that she had all the reason for it. Again the man let out a laugh, this time a little louder.

"It just depends on how you behave, my fair lady.", he said as he took a seat on the large dining table. May now saw what kind of delicacies were placed there, and she couldn't help but feel hungry. Her rumbling stomach only proved that point. She blushed at her stomach's reaction. Her host pointed at a chair on the other end of the table.

"Please, I mean you no harm. Have a seat, would you kindly?", he said. May was wary, but she did what he asked regardless. As soon as she sat down, she looked at him warily.

"You haven't told me where I am, or what happened to Drew.", she said, her voice filled with suspicion. As hungry as she was, she had to restrain herself from touching the food.

"Ah yes, allow me to explain. But first, I shall introduce myself.", the man said as he got up and stood next to his chair. He made a small bow. "My name is Dice. My people call me The Dice.", he said as he introduced himself. "And I know more about you then you might think.", he added as he took his seat again. May looked at him curiously.

"You call yourself 'The Dice'? Why is that?", she asked, as she glanced around the room in hopes of finding a possible escape. The Dice stood up and pulled something from his pocket. As he showed it to her, she saw it was a six-sided dice.

"I shall show you why I am called like that.", he said, as he suddenly threw the dice at May. She caught it in her hand, but before she could look, Dice motioned to her not to.

"The side facing up is… five.", he said. He looked at May with a strange smile. "Go ahead, you may look.", he said. May opened her hand and let out a silent gasp. She held the dice in her hand…

…with the five-side facing up.

May looked at him in disbelief, and she quickly changed the side of the dice. She heard Dice laugh.

"Now the two is facing up.", he said with a smile. May's eyes widened even further, and she quickly changed the dice several times, but every time he guessed the correct side facing up. May dropped the dice on the floor like it was on fire, clearly disturbed by this. The Dice walked towards her grinning and picked up his dice.

"And that is only a small part of what I can do.", he said as he pocketed the small object. May blinked a few times and shook her head.

"But I assume you want to know where you are, correct?", the Dice asked as he took a seat across from her. May gave a faint nod, as her brain was still trying to process what she just experienced. The voice of her so-called host brought her back to reality.

"You are in my humble abode.", he said as he let her look around the room. May noticed now that the room was very stylishly furnished, almost royally even. She couldn't help but gasp at the sight. But she also noticed that there were no windows. The Dice laughed a little when he noticed her expression.

"Yes, quite breathtaking, don't you think?", he said. May only nodded absently as she was too busy taking in the room.

"Well, once you're done admiring my taste of furniture, I shall tell you why you are here.", the Dice added. This made May snap her head back towards him, her attention fully aimed at him. She was still on guard, and deep down she knew she had every right to be.

"You asked me where this… Drew, was it? Ah yes, you asked me where 'Drew' is. Well, to put it simply, Drew is no longer with us.", he started. May's mind recalled the event she saw before she passed out, and cast her eyes downward in shock. She had hoped that it was a dream, but she knew it was true. A few tears escaped her eyes as she remembered him fall down on the pavement, landing in a pool of his own blood.

"Now now, no tears. They only stain your beautiful face.", the Dice said as he lifted her chin with his fingers. May didn't speak; she wanted to get out of this place. She shook her head loose from his grip and leaned back a bit, while she looked the Dice in the eye. And then she saw what she should have seen much earlier.

The Dice's irises and pupils were completely _black_.

She failed to contain a gasp as she pushed herself even further away. The Dice snickered, and May could tell he was planning something. And whatever it was, it wasn't anything good.

This became even more apparent when she found herself suddenly pinned to a wall, the chair she was recently in lying on the floor, while the Dice himself secured her so that she couldn't get away. She tried to struggle against his grip, but she found herself powerless to do so. She could feel his cold breath against her cheek as he inched his face closer, until his mouth has reached her ear. She barely heard him whispering something.

"Like I said, I mean you no harm… if you agree to behave yourself… like _I_ want you to behave.", he said in a hushed whisper. May closed her eyes as she started to shiver. The Dice grinned at her state, and he opened his mouth a little further. May felt something wet stroking her, which started at her ear, to her cheek, until it ended and the bottom of her neck.

"I must admit that you're an exquisite taste.", the Dice whispered. He wanted to continue when there was a knock on the door. He let out a sigh, and looked May straight into her eyes. May could feel her energy being drained, until she felt her consciousness fading. Before she realized what happened, all went black and she knew nothing more.

The Dice caught May's limp body and placed gently her on the sofa. His face showed a dark smile as he shouted for the person to come inside. He turned around to see the door opening and a familiar figure walked into the room.

"Hello Paul. I see you had a little trouble with your prey?", the Dice said in a mocking tone. Paul glared at him while he took something from his coat. He handed it to the Dice. The Dice looked down and noticed it was a Pokéball. The grin on his face only grew wider as he examined the object.

"That's a gift from Giovanni. He wanted you to have it in case Ash comes looking for her, and the others.", he explained. The Dice grinned.

"Ah yes, the other guests. I have a special place for them, once your little conference is finished. Now, what are your plans?", the Dice said as he pocketed the ball. Paul shrugged.

"I'm going to stay here for a while. Helping Lance when he gets here with our new arrivals.", he said as he turned to leave. As he reached the door, the Dice spoke to him.

"Can Giovanni's 'gift' be enough to entertain our soon-to-be guest?", he asked. Paul grinned.

"Don't worry, it will make for an excellent show.", he replied. He opened the door and left the room, leaving the Dice alone. The Dice touched the Pokéball again and let out a shiver of pleasure.

"Whatever it is, it will be grand!", he exclaimed. He looked back at May, and a lustful expression appeared on his face. He walked towards her slowly.

"Now, where was I…"

Norman felt the van come to an abrupt halt. He wondered were he and his companions had been brought to, as he tried to free himself in another futile attempt. He heard the doors open and before he knew what happened, his was brought forcefully to his feet and was literally dragged out of the van. The bag was removed from his head and he blinked at the sudden light that flooded his eyes. He blinked a few times until his eyesight returned.

"Welcome Norman, and all of you as well. Welcome to this place.", Lance said. Norman wanted to punch him so bad, but he was more worried about his family. He glanced around and to his delight he found that everyone was there. Lance noticed this and chuckled.

"As you can see, everyone is here Norman. Now, follow me and you will get your answers.", he said as he turned around. Norman felt the push of a gun barrel in his back and he reluctantly started to follow Lance, together with the other prisoners. He gave Caroline a small smile, letting her know that he was alright.

Lance led the group through various hallways until they halted in front of a door. He gestured to the guards, and they pushed everyone inside. Lance came in last and closed the door. He motioned to the chairs in the room, which were pointed at a wide screen on the wall. The guards made everyone sit down, and they waited for the things to come.

"Well, now that we are all here, I suspect you want to know where you all are, right?", Lance inquired with a mocking tone. Dawn and Zoey huddled close to Caroline, as they were too scared. Lance noticed this, but ignored them as he continued.

"We are in the headquarters of the Cult of the Dice. That's right, the very same we were just talking about.", he said when he saw the shocked looks on their faces. Lance opened his mouth when the door opened, and a person with a long blue coat stepped inside, slamming the door behind him.

"Sorry I'm late.", he said with an icy tone. He stood on the opposite of Lance, leaning against the wall as he crossed his arms. "Go on, continue with your so-called explanation.", he added. Lance eyed him for a moment before he continued.

"So nice of you to join us Paul.", he said before he turned to the others again. "Like I said, you're the guests of the Dice, and while he is not available for the moment, I shall enlighten you.", he continued.

"Where's my daughter?", Norman exclaimed suddenly.

"Your daughter is in good hands.", Paul said. Norman stood up briskly, but before anybody saw what happened, Paul stood in front of him, his katana resting on Norman's left check.

"And it depends on you and your actions if she will stay that way. Now, sit down.", Paul added, as he applied a little more pressure on Norman's face. Norman stared his assailant down, but sat down nonetheless. Paul sheathed his weapon before taking his spot again. A small line of blood trickled alongside Norman's face.

"Now that we're all calmed down again, I shall explain further. But before we do, there is someone else that will be joining this conversation.", Lance said. He pressed a small button on the wall and the screen lit up. It slowly came into focus, only for it to reveal a person they half expected to see. Grinning upon them was the figure of Giovanni himself. The group was too shocked to respond.

"Good evening, everyone.", Giovanni greeted them. He enjoyed looking at the flabbergasted faces of the prisoners.

"What is the meaning of this! What is your part in all of this?", professor Oak exclaimed, when he saw the face of the leader of the greatest crime syndicate in the world. Giovanni glared at the professor, before a smile appeared on his face.

"You have come here for answers, and I shall give them to you. Together with my associate here, Lance.", Giovanni said. Lance's face brightened at bit, while the others looked at him in astonishment. Did they heard it right? Lance was Giovanni's _associate_?

"Don't be so surprised, all of you. Lance has been my business associate for a long time now. We help each other out in all kinds of ways.", Giovanni said.

"What do you mean by that?", Delia asked. However much she despised them, she was eager to know what kind of business they did with each other.

"With Lance being the head of the Elite Four, he knows all about the most powerful trainers that enter the various leagues. He gives me this information, and my agents take care of the rest.", Giovanni said. The group looked at him strangely, as they didn't quite get the meaning of his explanation.

"It is not that hard to figure out. Haven't you noticed that many top-tier trainers have gone 'missing' over the past years?", Lance explained further. When the realization hit, the eyes of the group widened in surprise.

"You mean you… what have you done with them!", professor Elm exclaimed. Giovanni merely chuckled at his response.

"Do you still have to ask that, professor? Although I shall say that if they don't fit in my plans, there are also other uses for them…", he explained. Professor Elm let the words sink in, until he knew what Giovanni meant. He rose from his seat to say something, but a strike from behind made him slump back in his chair again.

"Please, remain seated. There's no need to get all worked up over this. The League has been in Rocket hands for quite a long time now. We've done quite a lot of operations together.", Giovanni said. His expression showed that he enjoyed every word he said.

"Besides, you are all brought here to be part of the greatest operation we have ever conducted.", Lance added eagerly.

"And what kind of plan is that?", professor Oak asked.

"Do you know of the conflict that transpired in the Underworld millennia ago?", Giovanni asked. Delia stiffened when he mentioned that, because she knew this all too well. Giovanni noticed the look on her face and smiled.

"I see that at least one of you knows. Allow me to explain further. Millennia ago, the Prince of Darkness wanted to rule this world. The world of men. But he was stood up by a single warrior, one of his own kind. While that warrior is no more, his legacy lives on in its offspring.", he said, as he pointed at Delia. Delia glared darkly at Giovanni.

"Whatever your plan is Giovanni, it will not succeed. My son will come and he will put a stop to this.", she said with determination. Giovanni and Lance snickered, while Paul couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, but we have already thought about that, Delia. In fact, your son has an even greater role to play. And he does not even know it himself.", Giovanni said.

"And what role shall that be then?", Delia asked.

"Now, that would be telling. All will be revealed in due time. But, you also have a part in this. I'm currently here in this building, and I'm eagerly awaiting your arrival.", he replied. He motioned a guard, and Delia was pulled from her chair. She tried to struggle, but the guard was too strong.

"Bring her to my office. Paul, you come too.", he said, and Delia was led out of the room. Paul followed them, and as the door closed, Lance turned to the leftover people in the room.

"Like Giovanni said, the Prince was defeated. But he was not dead, as he cannot truly die in his own realm. He remained in the Underworld, and now his time is almost upon us, to come to this world once again!", Lance exclaimed. Norman's eyes grew wide, and Dawn and Zoey huddled even closer to Caroline. They were ripped from their thoughts when they heard the muffled sounds of gunfire and screams.

"It seems we have a guest.", Lance said.

"And right on time.", Giovanni added, before the screen went black. Lance turned to the group.

"I'll leave you all here. And don't try to escape, as you will not succeed.", he said, as he left the room as well. The group was left at the mercy of the guards, but Norman and Oak felt a little hope inside of them.

Ash was here.

During the questioning, Ash was hot on the trail of the vans, and the trail led him and Misty through the forest. He knew that Lance and the others had quite a head start, so he had to speed up to make up for the lost time. He kept riding until he suddenly stopped, making Misty almost lose her balance.

"Hey watch it!", she shouted. Ash shushed her, and mentioned her to be quiet.

"Keep it down Red. We're almost there.", he said as he let Misty get off the bike. He followed suit a second later. Misty looked around, but she didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"Where's here, exactly?", she asked as he placed her hands on her hips. Ash didn't answer at first, and headed further down the road. She followed him, and she saw what he meant in the faint moonlight. A large, seemingly abandoned building, shut off with a high fence.

"Here's here.", she heard Ash say as he headed for the fence. There was a gate in the fence, which was firmly closed. Ash pushed against it, but it didn't budge. He took a few steps back as he reached for his sword.

"Let's invite ourselves.", he said, and with a fluid motion, he slashed the gate apart, and kicked the gate open. He placed his sword back and turned to Misty.

"Ladies first.", he said with a smile. Misty rolled her eyes, but she walked through the gate nevertheless. Ash followed suit, and he inspected the building as they neared it.

"What a dump. For all that it is worth, I had hoped that they would have picked a more classier place.", Misty muttered sarcastically. She held her hands on her weapons, ready to fire when it was needed. As followed her, a few feet behind.

"Tell me about it. It smells too.", he replied as he quickened his pace a little bit.

"Really? I don't smell anything. What do you smell then?", she said, as she was abruptly stopped when Ash lifted his arm.

"I smell a special cologne. It's called… O'd Demono.", he replied, as he quickly reached behind his back with his hands, having them re-emerge a fraction of a second later, holding his guns.

Misty had only a second herself to draw her weapons when several figures jumped down from the structure. Ash wasted no time and started taking potshots at the falling devils, which came down upon them as a lethal rain of fangs and claws. Misty joined the fray, as she too started shooting at their adversaries. The struck devils only let out a pained shriek, before they dissolved into particles of dust. And as soon as the attack began, it ended. Ash twirled his guns, before he lowered them to his sides.

"So much for the welcoming committee.", he chuckled. He took a few steps forward and tapped with one of his guns on a metal door. When he got no response, he shot a smirk over his shoulder before he kicked the door in, making it fly into the darkness.

"Knock knock!", he exclaimed with a wide grin, as he entered the building. Misty rolled her eyes at his macho-display, but followed him inside nonetheless. She found Ash standing, looking around a dimly lit hallway. In the distance, she noticed a few figures coming their way, all dressed in a white cloak with their faces covered by a hood. Ash let one of his guns rest on his shoulder as he saw them approaching.

"And there they are, ready to welcome us!", Ash exclaimed. The figures stopped a few feet away from them, and Ash could smell the devilish aura that emanated from them. He turned to Misty, who had also drawn her guns.

"You ready?", he asked as he turned to their enemies. Misty gave a nod. Ash grinned.

"Then let's give them Hell!"


	10. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

I have a rather disappointing announcement to make. After looking back at Of Devils And Pokémon (ODAP for short), I am not satisfied with the result. I feel I could have done it so much better, and without a too complicated storyline. Therefore, I've decided to rewrite the entire story, from start to finish, with a more sensible plot. The more I wrote the next chapter for the old ODAP, the more I felt that it was going downhill. The quality, the characters, the plot, pretty much everything.

I'm sorry to all the loyal reviewers and readers (even those who didn't leave a review ;)), but I'll promise that the rewrite will be worth it. Just don't expect it until the year is over. Once I feel it is good enough, I will delete all the chapters and replace them with the new ones at regular intervals.

Once again, I am sorry for this but as a writer I wanted to get the best I could get out of the plot and it was just not good enough for me. I appreciate everyone's support and like I said, I promise you that the rewrite will be worth your while. The title remains the same, most of the characters will be the same, but the plot will be vastly different. I won't spoil anything here. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Until next we meet!

-Cardente


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